Several hikers airlifted in separate incidents – including a 2-year-old

Several hikers were airlifted in separate events on Monday, 2 January 2023, this includes a 2-year-old who was airlifted from a beach.

Emergency evacuations for several hikers

It was a busy day for the Western Cape Department of Health EMS/AMS rescue helicopter.

The helicopter was dispatched to Platteklip Gorge for the first rescue to airlift a hiker who had collapsed while hiking.

The patient was airlifted and transferred to a local metro ambulance crew for further care.

While this rescue was underway, the helicopter was called to Karbonkelberg, Hout Bay, to airlift a dehydrated patient.

The patient was transferred to the ground crew for further care.

Shortly after returning to base, the rescue helicopter was called back to Diagonal hiking trail in Camps Bay.

Four patients became stuck on a ledge and had to be extracted and airlifted from the mountain.

Following the completion of this rescue, the helicopter was dispatched to Simon’s Town’s Seaforth Beach.

A two-year-old boy was airlifted from the beach to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.

Safety tips while hiking

Several hikers have been rescued in the past few weeks.

Here are some tips on how to stay safe:

• When you’ve carefully planned your hike, stick to it.
• Follow the map along with the permitted areas and pay attention to the map’s warnings.
• Stick to the obvious routes on well-traveled paths. Continue down the same or a familiar path.
• Don’t stray from the path.
• Pay attention to warning signs and avoid taking shortcuts or going down unknown ravines.
• Trails are generally uneven, rocky, and dangerous, so pay attention to how you land your feet, especially if you don’t want to twist an ankle.
• Stay with your group; don’t split up and go on separate trails.
• Pace yourself and be aware of your surroundings and landmarks.
• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Do not risk falling off ledges to capture the ‘perfect’ selfie.
• Keep an eye out for snakes and other potential hazards.
• Turn off cell phones or put them in “aeroplane mode” to save battery life.
• Use your phone as a light source to avoid draining its batteries. Instead, use the flashlight you packed.

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