An elderly climber who would be in his 70s has lost his life while rock climbing in Kalk Bay. This occurred when he got involved in an accident in Kalk Bay.
At 3:00 pm, ER24 paramedics arrived in Kalk Bay to attend to the mountaineer. However, Western Cape Metro Rescue, Life Healthcare and the Mountain Club of South Africa were already attending to the mountaineer.
ER24 said:
The AMS Medical Rescue helicopter was called to the scene to airlift several rescuers to the climber while several other rescuers hiked to the patient.
On the scene, medical and rescue personnel retrieved and stabilized the patient. Assessments showed the man had sustained several serious injuries and was in a critical condition.
To rescue the patient by airlifting him from the mountain to the roadside for the ER24 ICU and Metro EMS TO attend to him, the AMS Medical Rescue Helicopter was called.
ER24 stated:
Unfortunately, after a short time, the man succumbed to his numerous injuries.
The chairman of Mountain Club of South Africa Mountain Rescue (MCSA), Martin Hutton-Squire, has paid his condolence to the family of the bereaved.
Martin Hutton-Squire said:
All I have heard is that a rock was dislodged and fell on the climber. The rest I don’t know. It’s a very unfortunate incident and we send condolences to his loved ones.
MCSA also said in a statement:
Challenging weather dictated a combined air and ground approach. A ground team hiked up the mountain to perform a rope-based technical cliff extraction in which they moved the patient off the cliff face and to a more sheltered area, where the helicopter could fly the patient off the mountain.
Mountaineering hazards are such as falling rocks, falls into crevasses, poor weather conditions or equipment, etc. While mountaineering can be an adventurous activity, several precautions should be taken before embarking on such sport.
