Dragon's Wrath 2016

Trevor Johnson wrote: Yesterday afternoon the KZN Section Rescue Team responded to a call-out of an injured hiker on Sterkhorn, in the Monks Cowl area. Team was flown in with the use of an A109 from Fifteen-Squadron Saaf great flying skills were displayed by the Pilot. Casualty was safely taken off the mountain.

The KZN Section of the Mountain Club in a joint operation with Ezemvelo, Emergency Medical Services and SAAF 15 Squadron was called to rescue an injured hiker just below the summit of Sterkhorn in the Central Drakensberg yesterday. The 26 year old woman, a visitor from Austria, fell shortly after leaving the summit at about 2900 m and sustained serious injury to her right ankle. The 15 squadron Agusta A109 was flown with exceptional skill in partially cloudy conditions and late in the day, to insert a mountain club team member. She was hoisted into the aircraft and flown to Dragon Peaks Air Force Base where she was stabilized before being transferred to a hospital in Durban. We believe that this is the highest altitude at which a technical mountain rescue has been carried out with an A109 in South Africa and we salute the extraordinary skills and training of the SAAF pilots and their commitment to serving those in need of their assistance.

Sabine wrote: The patient does not have to pay for the rescue. Its a voluntary service from the Mountain Search and Rescue, and is training for the air force.

Yes, and I think I'm correct in saying that part of our entry fee goes towards the mountain rescue fund.

Sabine wrote:

Yes, and I think I'm correct in saying that part of our entry fee goes towards the mountain rescue fund.

Not sure about that.