Tourist dies on Table Mountain
2010-02-22 09:44
Cape Town - A foreign hiker died on Table Mountain on Saturday afternoon after presumably suffering a heart attack on the way down.
The unknown man, 42, was from Germany and went hiking along the Platteklip Gorge route with his friend and colleague, Martin Turcan.
According to police spokesperson Randall Stoffels, the two men were heading for their car at about 17:36 after climbing the mountain.
"The deceased sat down on a stone and Turcan rushed to the car to get water. He was already dead when Turcan returned."
Turcan, who is originally from Slovenia, wouldn't release details about the deceased. "I'm very shocked."
Severe heat
Stoffels said the man suffered from heart problems but couldn't confirm whether he had had a heart attack on Saturday evening due to the severe heat. According to weather reports, temperatures in Cape Town rose to about 36°C on Saturday.
Turcan called emergency services, who rushed to the scene along with a Skymed helicopter.
A group of hikers on the same route supported Turcan and the deceased.
The deceased was flown by helicopter to the parking area at the bottom cable car station and police then took the body to the mortuary.
According to one of the hikers in this group, who didn't want to be identified, the two men were working on a project in Johannesburg. They were visiting Cape Town.
An inquest would be held to determine how the man had died.
