DURBAN - A group of hikers, stranded at the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, were rescued after suffering difficulty during on a hiking trail at the reserve.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Durban duty coxswain, Paul Bevis, said they were alerted to the scene along with volunteer rescue group, Rescue Tech.
"We determined that an adult, three teens and a toddler had been hiking on one of the demarcated trailed and went missing. SAPS and Metro Police Search and Rescue were also alerted," he said.
Bevis said the NSRI duty crew and Durban SAPS Search & Rescue as well as a number of other stakeholders joined the search.
"Two groups began searching the area and two hours into the search through difficult terrain, we heard voices. The group had gone off the trail," he said.
Bevis said the group had gotten lost in an area that was not easily accessible due to the weather conditions - but they were safe.
"The casualties were provided warm gear and safety gear and they were brought towards a trail by the rescue teams where once safely back on the trail Netcare 911 advanced life support paramedics medically assessed the casualties and the children were found to be in good health and they were not injured. The adult male received some medical treatment for a medical condition and he was stabilised," he said.
He said the group was escorted to a staging area that rescue teams had set up.
Bevis said everyone in the group was brought up to the staging area, just after 3am.
He said the group had gone on the hike around 10am but two hours into their hike, a severe storm hampered their progress and they wandered off the trail.
"With the rain and rising water levels they appear to have been disorientated on the trail and they wandered off the trail before losing the trail and before nightfall further hampered their efforts to find the trail. The operation was completed just after 5:30am. We commend the Rescue Tech team for swiftly escalating the raising of the alarm and the teams for their assistance," he said.
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