Durban - A 45-year-old woman, who had gone missing from a psychiatric ward at a medical facility near Stanger, north of Durban, has been rescued.
According to IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Paul Herbst, the mentally ill patient was rescued by members of IPSS's Medical Rescue Search and Rescue unit and officers from the Umhlali SAPS K9 Search and Rescue on Thursday morning.
"The 45-year-old female went missing from Umpumulo Psychiatric ward in Maphumulo on Monday. On Wednesday, the lady was spotted in the Tafamus area in dense forest, by a passing herdsman. The lady was unable to walk and the herdsmen went to the nearest village to call for assistance," he said.
Herbst said community members took food and water to where the lady was last seen, but she was no longer there.
"IPSS Medical Rescue together with Umhlali K9 Search and Rescue arrived on scene, and with the help of rescue dogs the elderly female was located down a gorge, severely dehydrated. The lady was extracted using a rescue stretcher and carried out of the valley approximately 2km to the roadside, where she was taken to hospital for further care," he said.
Pictures: IPSS
Pictures: IPSS
Pictures: IPSS
Pictures: IPSS