Six Hour Ordeal After Mountain Fall

A Midrand women had to be rescued this morning after she plunged more than 15 metres down a mountain at a resort in the Vredefort area.

At approximately 09h30 this morning ER24 responded to a distress call from the Thabelo Thabong Mountain Resort. Paramedics arrived at the foot of the mountain and feared for the worst after a brief history was received from bystanders and fellow climbers. A lady, believed to be in her late 20's, was climbing with a group of other climbers at the Vredefort Chimney when she allegedly slipped and fell down.

Fellow climbers said she fell right down to the bottom and landed head first against a branch. If she hadn't collided with the branch on the way down, she would have most probably fell more than 10 metres further. Panicked climbers contacted ER24. Paramedics had to hike up the mountain to find the critically injured woman. After approximately 45 minutes they reached the woman and could assess and treat her for her injuries.

She laid face down with her head between rocks and branches and was in excruciating pain. She sustained multiple facial lacerations and two broken ankles. Due to the cold weather and injuries she sustained slight hypothermia and was treated on scene. Paramedics soon realised that they had to call in specialized rescue teams. About 15 rescuers from ER24, Parys EMS, Parys Fire, Klerksdorp Mountain Rescue and the Mountain Rescue Club of South Africa (Pretoria) joined forces to stabilize and rescue the woman. Paramedics and rescuers on scene immobilised the woman upside down in order to free her from her entrapment between the rocks and branches.

The Mountain Rescue Club of South Africa was contacted to assist with a helicopter. An Aurex Military Helicopter was dispatched to assist the rescuers and evacuate the woman. Rescuers had to lower the woman down with ropes and cables a further 15 metres so she could be accessed by the helicopter. At approximately 14h30 she was hoisted into the helicopter from the mountain and flown through to the Unitas Hospital in Pretoria where she will be treated for her injuries. She is in a stable condition.

Paramedics were constantly monitored for hypothermia and changed from the rescue site continuously due to the cold wind and temperatures. It is not clear if this is the first time that the woman was climbing the route. This was the second mountain rescue for the ER24 Rescue Team in the Vredefort area.

Last year ER24 was also contacted for a rescue in the mountain after a patient fell down and sustained serious injuries.