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Emergency personnel were forced to work against the clock in order to save a person’s life. After their car, which was travelling along the Volksrust Road, plunged off the edge of a cliff.
According to Charles Steyn, communications officer with WATCO Emergency Medical Service, the event occurred on Saturday night, 20 November 2021, shortly after 9 pm.
Moreover, the vehicle was seen travelling towards Volksrust when it went off the road near the waterfall. In total, the car plummeted between 150 and 200 meters before coming to an abrupt stop.
With passengers inside the vehicle, a community member quickly called the emergency number to report the incident. The appeal for assistance was swiftly answered by emergency personnel.
“On arrival, the teams split up in small groups to search for the vehicle and patients, the vehicle was not visible due to the density of the trees,” Steyn explains.
After much work, the automobile was recovered thanks to the emergency personnel’s tenacity. “One patient was critically injured but stable and was treated by WATCO EMS.”
Two more individuals were found, but sadly they had died due to their injuries. “The critical patient was carried out of the gorge by the team members and transported to the local hospital Amajuba Memorial. The patient is still in the hospital and in a stable condition.”
Steyn stated that the rescue mission, which took just over 5 hours, would not have been possible if the teams involved had not worked together. The following emergency workers assisted in the rescue operation, according to Steyn:
- WATCO Emergency Services
- Newcastle SAPS Search and Rescue
- Volksrust Fire Department
- Volksrust SAPS
- Magenta EMS
- ER24
- SACCW
- Atlas Towing
- Volksrust Community.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution when driving, particularly at night when sight is limited.
The Newcastillian – Online News wishes to express its sympathies to the family of the deceased. The efforts of the emergency workers are also commended for their perseverance during the rescue mission.
What are your opinions on the subject? Let us know what you think in the comments area below.
Images credit: Watco Emergency Medical Service
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