Cape Town - A group of hikers got themselves into trouble when one of them got stuck on a cliff in Herolds Bay on the Garden Route.
According to NSRI Wilderness, their duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a group of local hikers. They were on a Herolds Bay shoreline hike East of the Malgas River and West of Herolds Bay.
“A large crevasse and boulders separated them from the man who had climbed to where they could not reach him, and he was unable to go any further and he was unable to return to them from where he was on a cliff.
One of their hiking party hiked out of the area to reach a cellphone signal and called NSRI Wilderness to raise the alarm.
“The sea rescue craft, Spirit of Rotary, was launched and our NSRI sea rescue vehicle towed the sea rescue craft, Clemengold Rescuer, which was launched at Herolds Bay,” said the NSRI in a statement. EMS rescue was activated and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was placed on alert.
“On our sea rescue craft arriving on the scene, in an incoming tide, an NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed into the surf from our sea rescue craft, and he swam ashore and he was able to hike and climb to the man, and on reaching the casualty, found him to be cold, tired and anxious.
“An EMS rescue commander was transported to the scene on board one of our sea rescue craft to evaluate rescue extrication options and with the incoming high tide, with sea conditions and swells rising, EMS made the decision to extricate the man by helicopter NSRI dispatched a second NSRI rescue swimmer who swam through the surf to the shore carrying blankets and supplies.”
The casualty, a 65-year-old man, was secured into a harness and hoisted into the helicopter and airlifted to a landing zone at the nearby old George shooting range. He was reunited with his fellow hikers.