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11 August 2023
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Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) training pivots to live waterfall rescue, Cape Town
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Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) members suspended a planned training exercise, after a trail runner fell from the contour path on Saturday morning, 5 August 2023. The technical training involved a multi-stage rescue of a fallen climber on the cliff faces below the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in Cape Town.
The training scenario aimed to sharpen technical skills required in complicated cliff rescues and improve rescue responses that involve the use of the cable car as a rescue platform. Rescuers spend hours perfecting their rigging to ensure swift and safe operations from the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway cable car. Rescuers involved in the training were placed on standby and the exercise was briefly suspended after reports of a fallen trail runner were received shortly after 09h00.
The 38 year-old trail runner was crossing a narrow section of the contour path between the Platteklip Gorge and India Venster hiking trails when he slipped and fell approximately 15 metres down a waterfall. His friend immediately raised the alarm.
A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to scene and hoisted down to a point close to the patient. The injured trail runner was assessed and treated before being placed into a stretcher and hoist up into the helicopter. He was flown to a nearby landing zone and transported to hospital in an ER24 EMS Ambulance.
The incident was concluded at 11h05.
David Nel, a spokesperson for Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), said, “Team members involved in the training continued with their scenario when it became clear that no further assistance was required and the trail runner had been safely flown to the landing zone. Rescuers are constantly looking to sharpen their skills and coordinated technical training with the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are critical to ensure that rescues involving the cable car are executed safely and timeously. We’re thankful to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for their support and their continued commitment to wilderness safety on Table Mountain. We wish our patient a full recovery.”
Photos by Xavier Millar, Jason Collins, Fredy Mohorich, Daniel Vorster
Source: Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR)
The training scenario aimed to sharpen technical skills required in complicated cliff rescues and improve rescue responses that involve the use of the cable car as a rescue platform. Rescuers spend hours perfecting their rigging to ensure swift and safe operations from the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway cable car. Rescuers involved in the training were placed on standby and the exercise was briefly suspended after reports of a fallen trail runner were received shortly after 09h00.
The 38 year-old trail runner was crossing a narrow section of the contour path between the Platteklip Gorge and India Venster hiking trails when he slipped and fell approximately 15 metres down a waterfall. His friend immediately raised the alarm.
A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to scene and hoisted down to a point close to the patient. The injured trail runner was assessed and treated before being placed into a stretcher and hoist up into the helicopter. He was flown to a nearby landing zone and transported to hospital in an ER24 EMS Ambulance.
The incident was concluded at 11h05.
David Nel, a spokesperson for Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), said, “Team members involved in the training continued with their scenario when it became clear that no further assistance was required and the trail runner had been safely flown to the landing zone. Rescuers are constantly looking to sharpen their skills and coordinated technical training with the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway are critical to ensure that rescues involving the cable car are executed safely and timeously. We’re thankful to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for their support and their continued commitment to wilderness safety on Table Mountain. We wish our patient a full recovery.”
Photos by Xavier Millar, Jason Collins, Fredy Mohorich, Daniel Vorster
Source: Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR)
