Three foreign exchange students were rescued after finding themselves trapped at night on a mountain peak in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch.
The students, in their 20s, started a hike in the reserve early on Tuesday. After reaching the summit they “battled to find their intended descent path”, said Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR).
“After two failed attempts to descend down Venster Kloof and Nerina Kloof, they realised they were not going to be able to get down before dark and decided to call for help ...
“The lost hikers were able to describe their position to the approaching rescue teams, helping to narrow the search area.”
The man and two women were located after midnight and safely walked down the mountain by 5.30am on Wednesday, tired but in good spirits and grateful for being rescued.
A spokesperson for WSAR, David Nel, said on Thursday: “Our teams have already responded to five incidents this week.”
• On Monday evening WSAR helped three hikers lost near Judas Peak on Table Mountain.
• On Tuesday afternoon rescuers assisted a 72-year-old hiker struggling with cramps in Platteklip Gorge. After being attended to by a paramedic, he was helped up to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and transported down the mountain in the cable car.
• While teams were assisting that hiker, a second call for help was received from a 41-year-old hiker on the India Venster hiking trail who was suffering from severe cramps and was unable to continue. The patient was hoisted from the mountain into the Western Cape department of health and wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone.
• Rescuers were dispatched to Maclear's Beacon on Tuesday afternoon to help three visitors who were lost.
• Soon after the Maclear's Beacon call, rescuers were alerted to the Jonkershoek incident.
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Foreign exchange students in midnight mountain rescue near Stellenbosch
Image: Werner Badenhorst
Three foreign exchange students were rescued after finding themselves trapped at night on a mountain peak in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch.
The students, in their 20s, started a hike in the reserve early on Tuesday. After reaching the summit they “battled to find their intended descent path”, said Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR).
“After two failed attempts to descend down Venster Kloof and Nerina Kloof, they realised they were not going to be able to get down before dark and decided to call for help ...
“The lost hikers were able to describe their position to the approaching rescue teams, helping to narrow the search area.”
The man and two women were located after midnight and safely walked down the mountain by 5.30am on Wednesday, tired but in good spirits and grateful for being rescued.
A spokesperson for WSAR, David Nel, said on Thursday: “Our teams have already responded to five incidents this week.”
• On Monday evening WSAR helped three hikers lost near Judas Peak on Table Mountain.
• On Tuesday afternoon rescuers assisted a 72-year-old hiker struggling with cramps in Platteklip Gorge. After being attended to by a paramedic, he was helped up to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and transported down the mountain in the cable car.
• While teams were assisting that hiker, a second call for help was received from a 41-year-old hiker on the India Venster hiking trail who was suffering from severe cramps and was unable to continue. The patient was hoisted from the mountain into the Western Cape department of health and wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone.
• Rescuers were dispatched to Maclear's Beacon on Tuesday afternoon to help three visitors who were lost.
• Soon after the Maclear's Beacon call, rescuers were alerted to the Jonkershoek incident.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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