UPDATE: Happy ending as biker is rescued from 5m to 10m hole
Ekurhuleni Emergency Services successfully rescued 18-year-old motorbike rider Byron McNeil after he fell down a 5m to10m hole in the veld this afternoon.
Watch how emergency services lift Byron from the hole: https://youtu.be/tgE-vHrSl3I
Rescue personnel toiled for over four hours to safely remove Byron from the two-by-two metre hole.
He sustained an injury to his leg and was able to talk after the ordeal.
McNeil and his friend, Kyle West were riding on separate bikes on a training track off Golden Drive, when the incident occurred, at around 1.30pm.
Kyle said his friend veered off the track and drove through the grass to change his gloves which were with his grandfather, Allan McNeil.
Allan said he watched as his grandson disappear.
“He came towards me, then he was gone,” said Allan.
“I did not know where he was.”
He ran to the spot where Byron disappeared and saw him lying in the hole with his Yamaha 250YZ on top of him.
Byron managed to lift himself from under the bike and waited to be rescued.
Rescue personnel used a pulley system to extricate him from the hole.
While paramedics were attending to Byron’s leg, he said one of his concerns was that his bike was still in the hole.
The brave youngster was adamant to hop back on his bike to compete in the Gauteng Off-Road Club nationals, this Saturday, in Ventersdorp.
“If there is nothing broken I will race this Saturday,” said Byron.
He has been riding motorbikes since the age of five.
Byron’s mother, Nina McNeil warned other riders who ride in the same area to be careful of the holes.
