WSAR face treacherous conditions in risky operation
A large multi-agency team of dedicated professionals and volunteers from Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) responded to the Wemmershoek area on Sunday evening, after a team of alien vegetation clearing professionals reported that one of their members had fallen.
The group of professional alien vegetation clearers were descending from their remote camp in the mountains surrounding the Wemmershoek Dam, between Paarl and Franschhoek to avoid the worst of the storm, when a member of their team fell.
Rescuers hiked in to assist the fallen professional on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, the 22-year-old female was found deceased. Due to the treacherous conditions, a decision was made to return and recover her body at first light on Monday morning.
Setting out early on Monday morning, a large multi-disciplinary team, including members the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS, SAPS WPDS and Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) members, assisted SAPS to recover the deceased.
Her body was placed into a rescue stretcher, carried back to the staging point and handed over to local SAPS and forensic services members on scene. The incident was concluded shortly after 20h00 on Monday evening.
WSAR extended their deepest sympathy to the friends and family of the deceased at this sad time.
