At 12h50, Thursday, 07th May, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated to respond to Robberg Nature Reserve hiking trail following reports of a 79 year old man, from Krugersdorp, who is staying at a local caravan park on holiday, having sustained a head injury from a fall while hiking.
We launched our sea rescue craft Ray Farnham to approach from the sea side and NSRI rescuers and Med-Life ambulance services responded by road to the Robberg Parking area to hike to the scene.
On arrival on the scene we found the man in the company of two fellow hikers, two men who are staying at the same caravan park and who had accompanied the 79 year old on his walk. The injured man was found to be suffering a head injury and suspected fractured ribs sustained from a fall while walking on the hiking trail.
With the injuries causing the man to experience laboured breathing, while medical treatment by paramedics commenced, the decision was taken to request support from the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter rather than to risk further compromise to the patient by transporting him by sea or by hiking him on a stretcher to the Robberg car park. The WC Government Health EMS dispatched the Skymed helicopter.
The patient was airlifted to the Robberg Nature Reserve car park by the Skymed helicopter and transferred into a waiting Med-Life ambulance. The patient has been transported to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment and he is expected to make a full recovery.
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