Hiker hurt in gorge drama: Rescue teams race to Oribi Falls

Durban – Emergency services were on Wednesday responding to an incident involving an injured hiker at Hoopoe Falls in Oribi Gorge, KwaZulu-Natal.

Med-Evac, working alongside Fire & Rescue teams, were en route to the scene after reports that the hiker had fallen at the waterfall and sustained a suspected dislocated knee.

“The patient is believed to have suffered a suspected dislocated knee following a fall at the waterfall,” a Med-Evac spokesperson said.

Rescue officials said the operation was complicated by the terrain, describing the trail as moderately challenging even under normal conditions.

Rescue of an injured hiker after a fall at Hoopoe Falls in Oribi Gorgehttps://t.co/nfoNB2NF3d#ArriveAlive #HikingSafety @MedEvacEMS pic.twitter.com/XbGx2p7lry

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“The trail is a moderately challenging route under normal conditions and presents added difficulty when carrying the specialised equipment required to safely access, stabilise, and extract a patient from the area,” the spokesperson said.

Emergency crews said they were proceeding with caution due to the rugged landscape.

“Our teams are trained and equipped for operations in rugged terrain and are working carefully to ensure the safety of both the patient and rescue personnel,” the spokesperson added.

At the time of reporting, rescue teams had not yet reached the hiker. Authorities said further information would be released once the patient had been located and medically assessed.

“An update will follow once the patient has been located and assessed,” Med-Evac said.