A 47-year-old man was airlifted to hospital on Sunday morning after his vehicle had plunged down a cliff along Chapman’s Peak Drive and landed on rocks near the shoreline.
The incident occurred shortly after 08:30. Emergency teams rushed to the scene amid fears that the vehicle had entered the ocean.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Hout Bay received the alert while its duty crew prepared for routine training.
Spencer Oldham, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said crews responded immediately to the Noordhoek side of the pass.
Rescue teams reach trapped driver
“On arrival, our crews found a hatchback vehicle on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. The tide was going out,” Oldham said.
Three NSRI rescue swimmers launched from rescue craft and made their way to the shoreline. They found the driver injured and trapped inside the vehicle.
Rescue teams provided medical care while they called in additional emergency services.
Cape Medical Response, Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, Traffic Services, Law Enforcement and the SAPS responded to the incident.
Traffic Services, working with Table Mountain National Park officials, closed Chapman’s Peak Drive to allow rescue operations to continue safely.
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Helicopter airlifts patient to safety
Oldham said Metro EMS rescue technicians and specialised extrication equipment arrived by EMS Skymed rescue helicopter.
Rescue teams freed the driver from the vehicle and stabilised him at the scene.
“The helicopter airlifted the patient to a landing zone in Noordhoek. An ambulance then transported him to hospital,” Oldham said.
Two bystanders who had climbed down the cliff also received assistance. Paramedics treated one person for minor injuries at the scene. A rescue helicopter airlifted the second bystander, a cyclist, back to the roadway.
Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Additional NSRI incidents reported
Later that day, NSRI Hout Bay, together with fire and rescue services and emergency medical services, responded to a capsised boat at Soetwater near Kommetjie.
The vessel had washed ashore. All occupants escaped without injury.
While returning from the scene, NSRI crews spotted five teenagers aboard a rigid hull inflatable boat with mechanical problems. The rescue craft towed the vessel safely to Hout Bay.
“The swift response and cooperation between all emergency services are commended,” Oldham said.
