Two hikers injured in separate falls on Table Mountain and a third person who got lost in mountainous terrain about 140km from Cape Town were rescued and airlifted to safety at the weekend.

A 68-year-old man who spent the night alone after becoming disoriented in misty conditions was rescued from a cliff high above the town of Porterville on Saturday afternoon.

He was located by Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) teams who requested assistance from the provincial health department’s emergency medical services and Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter. He was airlifted to a nearby landing zone, explaining he had descended from a farm on top of the mountain and got lost in the mist.

On Sunday morning a hiker, scrambling up a steep section of Table Mountain was injured after falling about 5m.

“Several teams were transported to the top of the mountain with the assistance of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and then descended the mountain to the patient’s location,” said WSAR.

He was treated on the scene, secured on a stretcher and hoisted aboard the AMS helicopter which landed nearby, then transported by ambulance to hospital.

On Sunday evening the family of an 85-year-old foreign hiker called for help after he fell while descending Platteklip Gorge on Table Mountain. A rescue team flew to the patient who was hoisted aboard the same helicopter.

David Nel, a spokesperson for WSAR, said on Monday: “It’s not unusual for us to see high numbers of mountain users over this time of the year, especially after the poor weather we experienced last week.

“We urge all mountain users to plan appropriately, avoid hiking in the hottest hours of the day, carry enough water and save our emergency contact number 021 937 0300 to their cellphones.

“We ask that all wilderness enthusiasts help us by sharing the emergency contact number  and share our posts on the #IAmWildernessSafe campaign.”

Source: TimesLive