Young man falls at Kloof Gorge
Another rescue had to be conducted at the Kloof Gorge, after a young rock climber fell approximately 15m.
RESCUE Care paramedics and SAPS Search and Rescue responded to an incident at the Kloof Gorge on Saturday 15 February at approximately 4pm, where a 19-year-old man had fallen while rock climbing.
According to Garrith Jamieson, the operations director for Rescue Care, paramedics found the Mountain Rescue Club of South Africa, in attendance with their members, in the valley with the injured man. “It is believed the patient had fallen approximately 15m before landing on the ground. The patient sustained possible back injuries and fractures,” said Jamieson.
The young man was stabilised in the valley by a doctor as well as an Advanced Life Support paramedic before being placed on specialised spinal equipment.
Once he was stabilised by the rescuers, he was hoisted up the cliff and carried out of the valley to an awaiting Rescue Care ambulance, which transported him to Hillcrest Hospital.
Jamieson reported that it was unclear what had caused the fall. This incident follows a rescue operation at the Kloof Gorge view point, where a Gauteng resident allegedly attempted to commit suicide on Monday 10 February. An alleged also fell down the gorge on Monday 20 January while he was attempting to evade the SAPS, and Bruce Galloway was also allegedly thrown into the gorge by his abductors.
Jamieson reported that the gorge is a beautiful tourist attraction, and that the area is also very treacherous. “Erecting fences or barriers will not solve the problem. People are simply going to jump or climb over them. I believe that visible guards or CCTV cameras would help prevent such incidents,” he said.
Mark Easton, of Rescue Tech, who was involved in Galloway’s and alleged thief’s rescue, agreed with Jamieson. “We have responded to a noticeable amount of rescues in the Kloof gorge, but barriers are certainly not the answer. The primary issue is that people are not adhering to the rules. They have climbed over verges and fences that have been locked,” he said.
Easton and Jamieson insisted that they do not consider the risk that they take while conducting the rescues. “We train relentlessly to improve our rescues. It is what we live for and what we are passionate about,” said Easton.
