Girl falls to her death
On 2013-02-17 at about 11:00 a group of teachers accompanied 13 school children aged between fourteen and fifteen on a mountain/hiking expedition. They visited Aasvoël krans, from where they started with their hiking expedition.
At about 13:00, while on top of the mountain, in an area known as the Retief’s Kloof, the group sat down to have a water break and had lunch. Three of the girls were playing near a mountain stream. That is when 15-year old Logan Chamberlain “Ashton international College” in Benoni, slipped and started sliding towards the edge of the cliff for about 50m. She could not manage to stop and went over the cliff, falling down some want 80m. Another two girls also slid but they managed to stop themselves in time. They alerted the teachers of the accident and Mr Dian vd Merwe informed Mountain Search and Rescue in Johannesburg.
An Oryx helicopter from 17 Squadron, based at Swartkops Air Base in Pretoria, was summoned to the scene of the accident. Personnel from the Mountain Search and Rescue, including highly skilled paramedics were hoisted down into the gorge where the injured teenager was lying. The injured teenager was given emergency treatment but passed away due to serious head injuries. Family was informed to wait at the Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, to await news of the injured child. They were later informed that their daughter had passed away.
Here are some nifty tips for those who go on a hiking trail or mountaineering expedition: Do not stand near dangerous edges or too close to the edge of a cliff. Keep a safe distance. Avoid streams of water running down into a waterfall or down a mountain side as it will always be slippery. Be sure to have a cell phone ready at all times with an emergency number on speed dial. Never walk alone or wonder off from the group. Be sure to let a people know where you are headed. And when visiting dangerous places such as steep gorges or cliffs it is better to have a guide or a professional with you. Disaster can strike at any moment. Always be prepared for a situation like this because it can happen to anyone.
