Mountain climber rescued from Twelve Apostles Mountain range

Late yesterday afternoon the Western Cape Department of Health EMS/AMS rescue helicopter was dispatched to Valken Buttress on the Twelve Apostles Mountain range. It was reported that one of four rock climbers who were doing traditional rock climbing fell, was stuck and suspended in mid air unable to ascend or descend the ropes.

The patient was stuck in the middle of a cliff, three technical rescuers were inserted via hoist directly onto the cliff face. The technical rescuers climbed a section of the cliff to get above the stranded climber. The rescue helicopter extracted the patient, another climber and a rescuer before running out of daylight.

The remaining rescue climbers climbed another 40 vertical meters to reach the other two stranded climbers and lowered them to the bottom of the cliff face.

The ground rescue team walked up to the base of the cliff and walked the other climbers and rescue equipment down. Image and information courtesy: Dr. Matthew Young. Rescue crew: Captain Donovan Kohl, external load operator Ayesha Allies, members of WSAR and METRO rescue.

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