Man plummets 80m down falls

2008-07-24 11:34

Bongani Hans

Pietermaritzburg - A 19-year-old man from Harrismith in the Free State plunged to his death at the Thukela Falls, the second highest in the world, on Wednesday morning.

Luan Carter slipped on the top of the Thukela Falls and fell about 80m. The falls, in uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site in northern KwaZulu-Natal, are 947m high, second only to Angel Falls in Venezuela.

Carter died of head and internal injuries after he slipped while admiring the view from the top of the icy falls. He had spent the night on top of the amphitheatre with friends.

Inspector Jack Haskins of the Pietermaritzburg K9 search and rescue unit was among those who recovered Carter's body.

"We started the search about 10:10 and finished about 12:30. The recovery was fairly difficult because there was ice," said Haskins.

He said his unit was alerted by a group of Durban University of Technology paramedic students who were at the falls to practice.

This group, who were not with Carter's group, first reached the body.

Haskins said: "The rescue was a joint operation between the students, police from Durban and Pietermaritzburg, our rescue unit and the Red Cross."

Warning about ice danger

After the accident, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Jeff Gainsford reissued a warning to hikers to watch where they walked, especially if there was ice on the mountains.

"Such accidents happen, although not often. About a month ago, a young man from Britain fell.

"There is nothing we can do to prevent the accident from happening, except to warn people to be careful," said Gainsford.

The Carter family were not speaking to the media yesterday.

In May, Steven Hird, 18, from Britain was injured when he fell 20 metres in the 'Berg.

Gavin Raubenheimer of the Mountain Club of South Africa search and rescue team said his team, which was not part of Wednesday's operation, conducted about eight rescues a year in the area of the accident.

- The Witness