'Well-respected' mountaineer dies while climbing in Kalk Bay

A climber believed to be in his 70s died on Sunday afternoon after a rock climbing accident in Kalk Bay in the Western Cape. 

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 3pm to find the Western Cape Metro Rescue, Life Healthcare and the Mountain Club of SA already in attendance.

"The AMS Medical Rescue helicopter was called to the scene to airlift several rescuers to the climber while several other rescuers hiked to the patient

"On the scene, medics and rescue personnel retrieved and stabilised the patient. Assessments showed the man had sustained several serious injuries and was in a critical condition," said ER24.

The AMS Medical Rescue Helicopter was called to airlift the patient from the mountain and deliver him to the ER24 ICU and Metro EMS at the roadside.

"Unfortunately, after a short time, the man succumbed to his numerous injuries," ER24 said.

Martin Hutton-Squire, chairman of Mountain Club of South Africa Mountain Rescue (MCSA), has expressed condolences to the man's family. 

"All I have heard is that a rock was dislodged and fell on the climber. The rest I don't know. It's a very unfortunate incident and we send condolences to his loved ones," Hutton-Squire said. 

“Challenging weather dictated a combined air and ground approach. A ground team hiked up the mountain to perform a rope-based technical cliff extraction in which they moved the patient off the cliff face and to a more sheltered area, where the helicopter could fly the patient off the mountain,” MCSA said in a statement.

The man was a "well-respected MCSA mountaineer".