Outdoor enthusiasts have been urged to exercise extreme caution when crossing a dangerous section of the contour path between Platteklip Gorge and India Venster, after yet another hiker slipped and fell about 15m down a waterfall.
Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) said they responded to Tafelberg Road after the hiker fell from the contour path late on Wednesday morning.
“The 64-year-old hiker was crossing a narrow section of the contour path between the Platteklip Gorge and India Venster hiking trails when she slipped and fell down a waterfall,” WSAR said.
Family members were hiking with her when she fell and called the WSAR emergency number. Teams of rescuers and medics quickly made their way to the fallen hiker, who was assessed and treated before being placed in a stretcher.
Ground teams used a technical rope system to carefully move her out of the narrow gully and hoist her up into a rescue helicopter. The woman was flown to a nearby landing zone and transported to hospital.
WSAR spokesperson David Nel said: “This point (above the waterfall on the contour path) has developed a nasty reputation. We’ve seen a number of serious incidents, all concentrated in one place below the waterfall.
“Two individuals were seriously injured and five critically injured after falling from the same spot. A injured trail runner was flown from the same spot in August.
“Sadly, we’ve had to recover three fatalities in the same place. We appeal to all outdoor enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution when crossing this section of the contour path.”
Contact the WSAR in an emergency at: 021 937 0300
Support the WSAR by visiting: https://wsar.org.za/support-us/
Cape Times