WSAR Volunteers Bring Stranded Hikers Home Safely This Easter

Western Cape’s guardians of the trails worked overtime this weekend to respond to hikers who had lost their way or found themselves dehydrated and without outdoor essentials across the Peninsula and Jonkershoek trails.

Cape Town, South Africa (08 April 2026) – From hikers losing their way in steep terrain to those stranded without torches, water, or warm layers, this Easter weekend tested the skill, coordination, and dedication of Wilderness Search And Rescue(WSAR) volunteers and partner agencies.

Teams were called into action three times after dark and once during the day, responding to four separate incidents across the Peninsula and Jonkershoek trails.

Elderly Hiker Flown from Cape Point

The first call for help came from a large hiking group at Cape Point on Thursday afternoon, after one of the members, a 63-year-old woman, had tripped and fallen on the trail.

The group wasted no time in calling the WSAR emergency number. A small team on board the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to the scene. The patient was assessed and treated by paramedics before being carefully flown to a nearby landing zone, where she was transferred into the care of an ambulance and transported to the hospital for further treatment.

Four Hikers Stuck Without Torches

On Friday evening, rescue teams were dispatched to the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch after a group of four young hikers reported being stuck while descending the Pieke Trail.

The group had followed the trail into a ravine but missed the exit point. They continued descending until they reached terrain where they could no longer continue safely, nor retrace their steps.

Stranded after dark, without torches or warm clothing, the hikers correctly called the emergency number.

Rescue teams, working together with CapeNature rangers, responded to the reserve. A small technical team made their way to a position above the stranded hikers, where ropes were used to carefully haul the four to safety before guiding them the remainder of the way down the trail. The incident was concluded at 00h38 on Saturday morning.

32-Year-Old Hiker Dehydrated and Off-Trail

The third incident saw teams return to Jonkershoek Nature Reserve to respond to a second call for assistance, which was received from a lone 32-year-old hiker on Table Mountain above Camps Bay.

The hiker had been attempting to walk the Diagonal path to Platteklip Gorge using a popular hiking application for navigation. Although he noticed signage indicating the correct route direction, he chose to follow the directions provided by the app instead. This led him off the intended path and into steep terrain, where he eventually became stranded just below Blinkwater Needle in Blind Gully.

Recognising that he could not continue safely, he called the emergency number, prompting a carefully coordinated rescue effort involving SANParks – Table Mountain National Park rangers, WSAR teams, and the provincial Health and Wellness EMS drone unit.

A drone was deployed to help identify the hiker’s location and guide rescuers to a position directly above him. He was found to be exhausted and suffering the effects of dehydration. Team members provided water and electrolytes before establishing a rope system to carefully haul him to safety. He was then guided back to the vehicles and transported down the mountain.

Lost UK Visitor

On Saturday afternoon, a 31-year-old hiker from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland reported that he had become lost on the mountain.

The visitor had ascended via the popular Platteklip Gorge trail and intended to descend via India Venster. Thick mist caused him to lose his bearings near the top of the mountain.

While teams were responding, two passing hikers located the visitor and guided him towards the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Upper Cable Station. Rescue teams intercepted the group and accompanied him safely down the mountain via cable car, concluding the incident at 20h15 on Saturday evening.

It was certainly a busy weekend, but thanks to the crews’ expertise and swift response, all hikers were brought to safety.

“Our deepest gratitude goes to all the WSAR volunteers and partner agencies who gave their Easter weekend to keep outdoor enthusiasts safe. From paramedics and technical rescue teams to rangers and support staff, every role was vital in bringing these four incidents to a successful conclusion,” WSAR said.

These incidents are a strong reminder: to plan ahead, stay prepared, and always call the correct emergency number: 021 937 0300, as soon as you need help.

Sources: Wilderness Search And Rescue 

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