[Cape Town] Drone Calms Stricken Hiker

konfab

konfab

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A 20-year-old hiker is safely home after a complex 14-hour overnight rescue operation on Table Mountain, reminding outdoor enthusiasts that recognising when to call for help can make all the difference.

Late on Sunday afternoon, the lone hiker became disorientated while exploring high above Newlands. After losing the trail, he found himself stranded on a steep cliff, unable to safely move either forwards or back. Realising the seriousness of his situation, and with just limited battery remaining, he made the decision to call for help before darkness closed in.

That decision set in motion an incredibly demanding technically rescue operations.
Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) teams responded immediately, deploying specialist rope rescue personnel from the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway's upper station. Working through the night in steep and exposed terrain, the teams were supported by the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS Drone Unit, whose aerial view was invaluable in locating the hiker and helping guide rescuers safely towards him.

The drone also provided some much-needed reassurance. While the rescue teams were making their way towards the top of the cliff, it was used to communicate directly with the hiker, letting him know that help was on its way. After being alone on the mountain in the darkness, hearing a voice coming from a drone was a somewhat surreal experience, and he later said he briefly wondered if he was hallucinating. Fortunately, the voice was very real, and it was telling him that the rescue team was on its way.
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https://www.arrivealive.co.za/news.aspx?i=78535&s=0&page=drone-calms-stricken-hiker
 
Actually saw the drone, sent to my buddies in the industry and told them "something is going on"
Recognised the searchlight on one drone - there where 3 involved, one up high, one with searchlight and another to the left of it
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Sideshow Bob said:
Lucky hiker is alive. I wonder who bears the cost of such rescue ?
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• Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) is a network of government agencies, and civilian volunteer organisations, who partner in search and rescue.
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Mix of taxpayer and volunteers so probably not him. I know that overseas, if you make stupid decisions like ignoring weather warnings or hiking along closed routes, they will often force the rescued peeps to foot the bill.

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and...ng-for-rescue-from-closed-trail-in-dolomites/

Hiker Faces $16,000 Fine After Calling for Rescue From Closed Trail​

Italy's mountains have seen an increased number of deaths this summer as hot weather drives hikers towards higher altitudes
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Sideshow Bob said:
Lucky hiker is alive. I wonder who bears the cost of such rescue ?
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Combination of volunteer efforts supported by local, provincial and some SOEs.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave their time, expertise and commitment throughout this challenging overnight operation. From the teams at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, SANParks - Table Mountain National Park, Western Cape Government

Health and Wellness EMS and the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS Drone Unit, to our dedicated volunteers from Delta Search & Rescue, Mountain Club of SA - Search And Rescue, SARZA - Western Cape and Trail Search and Rescue, every person played an important role in bringing this rescue to a safe conclusion.
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https://wsar.org.za/organisations/
 
rustypup said:
I... just... what?! "found himself".... Did he teleport there?
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LOL - disorientated is the keyword, I think.
Late on Sunday afternoon, the lone hiker became disorientated while exploring high above Newlands. After losing the trail, he found himself stranded on a steep cliff, unable to safely move either forwards or back. Realising the seriousness of his situation, and with just limited battery remaining, he made the decision to call for help before darkness closed in.
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Anthro said:
They are, I don't know what this dimwit was doing in the area of Skeleton gorge though - that is a hella dangerous hike unprepared.
We normally take food, drink, clothes with doing that its a 16KM hike
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I suppose some have to learn the hard way that a walk in the mountains is not a jaunt round your local shopping mall....
 
Cray said:
Mix of taxpayer and volunteers so probably not him. I know that overseas, if you make stupid decisions like ignoring weather warnings or hiking along closed routes, they will often force the rescued peeps to foot the bill.

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and...ng-for-rescue-from-closed-trail-in-dolomites/
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This is deliberately not the case in CT. We don't want people not asking for help because there's a cost to it - we don't need people dying in the hills needlessly when they could have been rescued.

Jam Sandwich said:
Are the trails out not well worn and marked?
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Some are, some are not. Even the most experienced users of the hills can end up in a situation. This is a massive range of mountains and anything can happen, weather can change etc etc.
 
Cray said:
Mix of taxpayer and volunteers so probably not him. I know that overseas, if you make stupid decisions like ignoring weather warnings or hiking along closed routes, they will often force the rescued peeps to foot the bill.

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and...ng-for-rescue-from-closed-trail-in-dolomites/
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Fine seems harsh but this particular rescue must have cost a lot of money really. No doubt a person's life is worth more, one could argue but then homeless that die on the streets don't get rescued, do they ?

I am sure I would appreciate mahala rescue if in situation even though it would have been mainly because of my own stupidity (if in similar situation)
 
The Darkness said:
This is deliberately not the case in CT. We don't want people not asking for help because there's a cost to it - we don't need people dying in the hills needlessly when they could have been rescued.
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So, homeless don't die on the streets of CT, especially in winter ? Do they get same type of rescue effort too ?
 
Sideshow Bob said:
Fine seems harsh but this particular rescue must have cost a lot of money really. No doubt a person's life is worth more, one could argue but then homeless that die on the streets don't get rescued, isn't it.

I am sure I would appreciate mahala rescue if in situation even though it would have been mainly because of my own stupidity (if in similar situation)
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Yeah, not saying I agree with it but have seen a few cases where people deliberately ignore explicit warnings about conditions and then get a free rescue. I agree that it's super easy to get into trouble in the mountains and the rescuers do awesome work but it would be tragic if there were no funds available for a legitimate rescue as they had been used on rescuing someone who ignored clear and obvious warnings. Again, I think overseas it's more about paying for things like helicopters which cost a bloody fortune to run.
 
Sideshow Bob said:
LOL - disorientated is the keyword, I think.
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He wandered into that situation and couldn't wander back out?

unable to safely move either forwards or back
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That's next level "should not have been anywhere outside of a shopping center" type stupidity. Unless the terrain suddenly morphed into impassable around him, the claim is non-sensical.

Spent many years blundering around Drakensburg, even camping up there, and never - ever - had anything remotely akin to this happen. I guess I just can't picture how this is possible.
 
Jam Sandwich said:
Are the trails out not well worn and marked?
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The higher up you go the worse it gets.
Its possible to make a mistake and just end up on something that looks like a path but isn't.
Its mostly because others try and make their own way and mess it up... like they want to get a cool shot so the make a path to a cliff.
 
Cray said:
Mix of taxpayer and volunteers so probably not him. I know that overseas, if you make stupid decisions like ignoring weather warnings or hiking along closed routes, they will often force the rescued peeps to foot the bill.

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and...ng-for-rescue-from-closed-trail-in-dolomites/
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In South Africa, there is no charge for rescue services. So we urge everyone not to hesitate to call for help rather then trying to ‘rescue themselves’ in order to avoid a hefty fee and become a casualty while doing so.
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https://wsar.org.za/organisation/sarza/

Likely a vestigial remnant of the frontier culture of SA. People just banding together to help each other. And since the SA state has always had ... other things... on their mind, it never thought to institutionalise these orgs into the state. So we are left with the volunteer efforts.
 
The Darkness said:
This is deliberately not the case in CT. We don't want people not asking for help because there's a cost to it - we don't need people dying in the hills needlessly when they could have been rescued.
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What happens if he grows up and becomes the next Hitler? Would the dying still have been needless?
 
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