A hiker was lifted from a narrow ditch on Table Mountain this week and taken to hospital for treatment after she fell 15 meters by a waterfall. The hiker is the tenth person to tumble from the narrow contour path at this waterfall.
The 64-year-old hiker was crossing a narrow section of the contour path between the Platteklipkloof and Indië Window hiking trails on Wednesday morning when she slipped and fell by the waterfall.
The woman was walking with family members when the accident occurred and they were able to call for help.
Rescue workers from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) responded to the emergency call and walked up to the injured hiker. She was examined and stabilized at the scene before being taken out on a stretcher.
A helicopter was also called to the scene.
A technical rope system was used to carefully get the hiker out of the narrow ditch she fell into before she was lifted into a helicopter.
The woman was transported from there to a nearby landing zone before being taken to a hospital by ambulance.
David Nel, a spokesperson for WSAR, says the point above the waterfall on the contour path has developed a nasty reputation. “We have already seen a number of serious incidents, all in one place under the waterfall.
“Of the ten recorded incidents, two people were seriously injured and five critically injured after falling from the same place.”
Three died.
WSAR now appeals to walkers to be extremely careful when crossing this section of the contour path.
