Climber dies in Muizenberg cliff accident

THE Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) has sent its condolences to the family of a rock climber who died in an accident.

WSAR spokesperson Johann Marais confirmed the incident and said the organisation was still trying to get more details about the man and where he was from.

“Twenty-five members from the Mountain Club of South Africa’s mountain rescue team assisted in a large WSAR effort involving multiple organisations [yesterday] afternoon at Muizenberg crag,” Marais said.

An ambulance and a rescue helicopter were also involved.

“Challenging weather conditions dictated a combined air and ground approach. A ground team hiked up the mountain to perform a ropebased technical cliff extraction, where they moved the patient off the cliff face to a more sheltered area where the helicopter could fly the patient off the mountain,” Marais said.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said they arrived at the scene at 3pm, and the man was stabilised.

“Unfortunately, after a short time, the man succumbed to his numerous injuries. The details surrounding this incident are not yet known, but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations,” Meiring said.

In another incident, WSAR was called out yesterday after a 64-yearold fell on the contour path between the lower cable station and Platteklip Gorge.

“The helicopter lifted her out and dropped her off at a temporary landing zone secured by WSAR members on lower Tafelberg Road, from where an ambulance transported her to Cape Town Mediclinic,” Marais said.