Lottering River, on the Tsiskamma hiking trail, swelled over the weekend due to recent rains and cut a group of students off on their way out; rescuers helped get them all to safety.
South Africa (15 May 2023) – The NSRI Knysna, NSRI Oyster Bay and NSRI Storms River duty crews were alerted to the need for a rescue when 14 students hiking along the Tsiskamma trail were cut off by a rising river. The teams jumped into action to get them all to safety.
The 14 hikers, 9 females and 5 males, 12 of them University students, were reported to be cut off by swollen, flooded rivers, and unable to continue on their hike to reach safety. They had been cut off by the rain-affected heavy-flowing Lottering River, on the Tsiskamma hiking trail, on the North Eastern side of the Bloukrans River.
The rescue was initiated on Friday afternoon when one of the hiker’s parents called the NSRI to raise the alert. According to the NSRI, the students crossed the Lottering River in the morning. At the time, the river was at a normal level but things changed once they reached the next river crossing, the Elandsbos River. This river was too full to cross.
The students were unable to proceed forward with their hike and decided to turn back. When they arrived back at the banks of the Lottering River, it became clear they had a problem. The river had risen substantially and they were now trapped between the two.
Meanwhile, with the NSRI informed of their troubles, the team started putting together a rescue party to help the students.
“MTO (Mountains to Sea) Forestry had also received information of the hiking party trapped between the 2 rivers on Friday afternoon. Plettenberg Bay First Responders and NSRI Plettenberg Bay had been alerted.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay joined Plettenberg Bay First Responders and MTO rangers, using an MTO fire truck, to attempt to reach the hikers, on Friday late afternoon, but by that stage the Lottering River was well flooded, it was already dark and the efforts were suspended for safety.”
The students had to hunker down for a night. NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty controller Laurent Eray remained in contact with the casualty hiking party advising them of the rescue operation in the planning stages. Thankfully, the hikers had been equipped for a night and were able to weather it while waiting for further rescue efforts to take place the next day.
“They are commended for organising themselves to keep in contact with Laurent Eray during the night, on the hour, every hour, they took turns to stand watch, and to gather firewood.”
They thankfully had found a cell service just a bit away from the makeshift camp and took turns monitoring WhatsApp to receive updates from the team. They also kept their fire burning all night despite the wood collected being wet. They stayed calm it made a huge difference.
“In the interim Lodewyk van Rensburg, NSRI Oyster Bay and NSRI Storms River station commander, assisted by Ian Gray, NSRI Eastern Cape regional director, had initiated a joint operation to assist in the rescue of the hikers on Saturday morning – in cooperation with Storms River Police station, the Police Dive Unit, MTO Forestry commanders and Eastern Cape Government Health EMS who together prepared a rescue operation that was to begin at first light on Saturday morning.
A JOCC (Joint Operations Command Centre) was set up at the MTO Lottering Forestry Station on Saturday morning headed by Eastern Cape Government Health EMS and by the SA Police Services in cooperation with NSRI Oyster Bay.
NSRI Oyster Bay, NSRI Storms River, NSRI Jeffreys Bay, MTO (Mountain to Sea) rangers, SA National Parks Tsitsikamma rangers, Eastern Cape Government Health EMS, the SA Police Services Storms River Police Station and SAPS Dive Unit, Plettenberg Bay First Responders, NSRI Plettenberg Bay and a Savannah Helicopters Squirrel helicopter (an MTO resource from George) reached the JOCC at Tsitsikamma Lottering Forestry Station during the early hours of Saturday morning.”
With so many teams on hand to help, the hikers were hopeful. They packed up camp early and awaited news about the pending evacuation.
“An NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue vehicle and a private 4×4 vehicle were dispatched by road to the nearest dirt track that lies nearest to the Keurbos Hut. That rescue party hiked to the Keurbos hut carrying additional gear.
The Savannah helicopter, piloted by Greg Johnson and accompanied by NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue swimmer Nathan Hart, EMS rescue paramedic, Jaco Kotze, and by Plettenberg Bay First responders medic, James Stewart, reached the hikers.
Locating a landing zone amongst Fynbos about 800 meters from the hikers they landed and hiked to reach the casualties.
The EMS rescue paramedic and the NSRI rescue swimmer medically assessed the hikers – 3 were treated for mild smoke inhalation that they had suffered from smoke from the fire that they had huddled near to during the night, but all were in good spirits.
An existing rope, that lies across the Lottering River, was tightened, inspected for safety, and the NSRI rescue swimmer, Nathan Hart, and the EMS rescue paramedic, Jaco Kotze, used that rope in aiding the hikers across the river in relays of one at a time through chest deep swift flowing water.
They were brought to the Keurbos Hut where they were met by the land party (from the 4×4 vehicles) and they were further warmed up at the hut before hiking about another 800 meters to the helicopter landing zone that had been established on the dirt track.”
They performed this relay three times to get everyone to safety. The hikers were successfully airlifted to the Lottering Forestry Station’s JOCC where some of their parents were waiting in anticipation. They were given medical checks from EMS paramedics but they were all in good health and were allowed to head home.
“They were then driven by private vehicles to Natures Valley which was where they had started their hike and once there, with all being safe and not injured, no further assistance was required.
All services involved are commended for their close cooperation and team work during the rescue evacuation operation.”
The rescue was a success and all thanks to the collaboration of so many different teams. Together they were able to safely guide 14 students back to the welcoming arms of their parents.
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