Night falls over Table Mountain as WSAR rescuers worked to safely guide a stranded Chinese tourist off the India Venster route on Saturday night.
Image: David Nel
A 22-year-old Chinese tourist celebrating her birthday on Table Mountain was rescued after becoming stranded near the Fountain Ledge scramble section of the India Venster route after sunset.
Having started her climb earlier in the afternoon, the hiker became disoriented as the light darkened, with winter conditions bringing an earlier sunset over the mountain.
The hiker realised she could no longer continue safely and contacted emergency services with only 5% battery remaining on her cellphone.
Unable to share her exact GPS location before her phone battery ran low, she provided rescuers with details of her surroundings, allowing teams to identify a likely search area and begin mobilising.
Teams from the Wilderness Search and Rescue were rapidly transported towards the summit by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, whose staff extended operations after hours to assist with the rescue.
During the rescue, rescuers briefly stopped the cable car and called out into the darkness below.
The stranded hiker responded, helping the rescue teams quickly narrow down her location on the mountain. A small rescue team descended from the Upper Cableway station and reached the hiker shortly afterwards. The hiker was found cold, but unharmed, and she was given a warm jacket and a head torch before being escorted safely back to the upper station.
The operation concluded at 9.47pm.
WSAR spokesperson David Nel emphasised the critical role of the cableway during incidents on Table Mountain.
“Many people haven’t considered just how different rescue on Table Mountain would look without the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. The ability to move rescuers, medics, and technical equipment rapidly onto the mountain saves an enormous amount of time and energy during critical incidents,” he said.
Nel also praised cableway staff for repeatedly extending operations to assist rescuers after hours.
He thanked the Chinese Consulate in Cape Town for offering translation and communication support during the incident, as well as the rescuers and support teams involved in the operation.
Wilderness Search And Rescue rescuers also wished the tourist a happy birthday and a safe and enjoyable stay in Cape Town, while urging hikers to save and share the organisation’s emergency number: 021 937 0300.