Night on a cold mountain

2005-07-29 22:24

Edna Isaacs and Chantelle Nicholas

Cape Town - A hiker spent a lonely, cold and painful birthday night on Table Mountain after injuring himself.

Rescue teams carried Avanda Mpati, 23, of Gardens in Cape Town, down the mountain on a stretcher on Friday in a rescue operation that took several hours because of dense fog.

Mpati was injured after he fell off a ledge in the dark and hurt an arm and his back.

According to his girlfriend, Nobathembu Pako, 20, Mpati went hiking at about 14:00 on Thursday.

"I expected him back about 18:30, but then he phoned me and said he was stranded on the mountain.

First thoughts

"My first thoughts were that he would die because it was so cold, but at that time I did not think of asking for help.

"I thought he would find his way down by himself."

She said she went looking for him on Friday morning and walked from Kloof Street to the lower cableway station.

"When I arrived there about 06:30 I phoned the emergency services."

Members of Wilderness Search and Rescue searched for Mpati for about three hours and found him about 11:00 near the India Window hiking trail.

Because of the dense fog they could get him back to safety only after several hours.

According to Wilderness's Hugo Vaughan, they had to tell the rescue helicopter to return to base.

Elevation

Mpati was found at an elevation of 700m on the mountain when the rescue team reached him.

Vaughan said: "He tried to walk by himself, but was too weak.

"The rescue was made more difficult because Mpati could not walk after the cold night he had spent on the mountain."

According to Vaughan, Mpati was wearing only a T-shirt and khaki pants.

A relieved Pako welcomed Mpati and his rescuers.

"I'm so glad he is safe," was all she could say.

- Die Burger