Africa-Press – South-Africa. Eight hikers were rescued after being trapped by a flooded river gorge while hiking between Worcester and Ceres in the Western Cape.
According to Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR), the group had started hiking along the Witels trail – a favourite hike-and-swim route – and were expected to exit below Michell’s Pass on Thursday.
But, after downpours over the weekend, they alerted their families via satellite phone that the level of the river had risen dramatically and that they would be delayed. They also said they had run low on food.
Two of their friends attempted to assist by swimming across the Breede River, below Michell’s Pass, to reach them and deliver food, WSAR spokesperson David Nel said. But they too, became trapped.
“WSAR received a call for assistance on Saturday afternoon, and a multi-disciplinary team of 22 rescuers was dispatched to locate and rescue the stranded hikers,” he added.
The raging water exiting the Witels River prevented them from entering the kloof on Saturday evening, but at first light on Sunday, a small team flew over to locate the stranded group.
The hikers and their equipment were airlifted to a landing zone at the Winterberg Mountain Inn.
The two friends were taken across the swollen Breede River in inflatable crafts.
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