CONS TA NTI A / W YNBE RG
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Tuesday 15 January 2013
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Hikers airlifted to safety A GROUP of 17 hikers on the Karbonkelberg Hiking Trail had to be airlifted to safety.
GOLDEN MOMENTS: Claims made by the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) that participation in the annual minstrel carnival is “degrading” and “undignified” were slammed by the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association. Despite the claims, thousands of spectators packed the city centre to catch a glimpse of the annual Tweede Nuwejaar cultural showpiece. After being disappointed on New Year’s Eve, when the Cape Malay Choirs’ road march was cancelled due to high winds, the minstrel carnival did not disappoint the crowds. See page 10 and 11 for more. Photo: Clint Dixon
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The hikers, who were between Sandy Bay and Hout Bay, were airlifted by the EMS Skymed helicopter on Sunday 13 January at 15:30. Lyall Pringle, NSRI Hout Bay Station commander, reports: “The guide had never hiked the trail before and the hikers were ill-equipped. Some of the hikers were wearing flip-flops and others had no warm gear, very little water and two of the hikers were asthmatic. The hikers left at 08:00 and got lost on a hiking trail that can take experienced hikers eight hours to negotiate. Scores of hikers get into difficulty on Die Braak and had to be rescued.” The Hout Bay branch of Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) and the provincial health department’s EMS rescue division and the EMS Skymed helicopter were placed on alert. “Our original plan was to deliver experienced rescue guides by boat to the location to walk the hikers out of the area, but later we decided to either hoist the hikers into the Skymed rescue helicopter or to lower rescue guides to hike them to safety,” says Pringle. NSRI volunteers launched the sea rescue craft Albie Matthews and Nedbank Rescuer and two rescue swimmers swam ashore carrying hand-held radios, and the sea rescue vehicle was driven to Rocket Road, Llandudno to assist the VHF radio communications. Pringle says: “On arrival at the scene the rescue swimmers were met with some confusion as there were only 15 hikers. Apparently six hikers had left the group to walk back to Sandy Bay. This brought the total number of hikers to 21. Initially we were informed there were only 20 hikers, but others joined at the last minute. Some of the hikers anticipated dehydration and they drank sea water which had accelerated possible dehydration and made them feel ill.” When the Skymed helicopter arrived, 15 hikers were hoisted into the rescue helicopter and airlifted to the NSRI sea rescue base. A further two hikers were found later near the Boss 400 crane barge wreck. They were hoisted into the rescue helicopter and airlifted to the sea rescue base. Four other hikers from the same group walked back to the Sandy Bay car park in Llandudno. A woman hiker was spotted walking alone by the Skymed rescue team on the same trail. Pringle says: “The light was fading and she was on a trail which took three hours to hike. However, the woman indicated to the helicopter crew that she was in no danger. Later, it was determined that she was not part of the hiking club and we suspect she may be a very experienced hiker on her evening walk!” No one was injured and after the hikers consumed water, cool drinks and energy bars which NSRI rescuers had purchased for them, they went home.
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