While many residents and visitors enjoyed a summer weekend with family and friends, Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) volunteers were once again on the front lines, responding to multiple incidents across the Western Cape in exceptionally hot and demanding conditions.

The festive season has placed sustained pressure on rescue services. During December alone, WSAR teams responded to 25 incidents, with a further 13 already recorded in January.

The past weekend saw three separate operations, ranging from a technically complex stretcher rescue on Lion’s Head to helicopter-assisted evacuations in Jonkershoek and Platteklip Gorge.

On Saturday morning, teams were called to Lion’s Head after a 28-year-old hiker injured her leg while descending the trail above the first ladder. After being assessed and treated on scene by a Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS paramedic, she was secured in a stretcher.

Due to the steep and exposed terrain, rescuers set up rope systems to safely lower her down technical sections of the trail. She was later transported by ambulance to hospital.

On Sunday afternoon, rescue teams were deployed to Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch, where a 57-year-old hiker had fallen near the First Waterfall. Given the terrain and her injuries, an EMS/Air Mercy Service rescue helicopter was requested.

She was hoisted from the trail and flown to a nearby landing zone before being taken to hospital. This incident concluded shortly before 16h00.

Later that day, teams responded to Platteklip Gorge to assist two hikers from the Netherlands, aged 56 and 66, suffering from heat exhaustion. Both were evacuated by helicopter, with the incident concluding at 18h18.

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