Talking Drone Becomes Lifeline for Stranded Hiker During 14-Hour Table Mountain Rescue
- A 20-year-old hiker became stranded on a steep cliff above Newlands after losing his trail on Table Mountain
- Western Cape Search and Rescue deployed a talking drone overnight to locate the hiker and reassure him that help was coming
- A technical rescue team descended nearly 200 metres down the cliff face to reach the young man
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Source: Getty Images
A solo hike up Table Mountain turned into a 14-hour overnight rescue operation after a 20-year-old lost his trail and found himself trapped on a sheer cliff face above Newlands, Cape Town. MyBroadband shared the story on Instagram on 10 September 2026.
The young hiker set out alone late on a Sunday afternoon. As the terrain grew steeper, he lost his bearings and ended up in a position where moving in any direction felt dangerous. With daylight fading and his phone battery draining, he made the call that likely saved his life and contacted emergency services before darkness set in.
Drone becomes a lifeline on the mountain
Western Cape Search and Rescue (WSAR) reportedly mobilised immediately, sending specialist rope-rescue personnel from the aerial cableway’s upper station. As teams made their way through the steep, exposed terrain, the Western Cape Government’s health and wellness EMS drone unit flew overhead, capturing aerial imagery to help pinpoint exactly where the hiker was.
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What made this rescue unusual was how the drone was used once it found him. According to a report by The Citizen, the drone communicated directly with the stranded hiker, telling him that a rescue team was on the way. He later described hearing a voice come from the drone in the darkness as “a somewhat surreal experience,” adding that he briefly wondered whether he was hallucinating.
He said the drone provided “some much-needed reassurance” during what must have been a frightening night alone on the mountain.
200-metre descent to bring him home
Source: Getty Images
Once the rescue team reached the top of the cliff, a small technical unit rigged a rope system and descended close to 200 metres to reach the hiker. He was found physically uninjured. Rescuers secured him to the rope system, lifted him up the cliff face, and handed him over to the waiting team above.
After hours exposed on the mountain, he was given food and water before being driven safely off the mountain. The operation wrapped up just after 7 am on Monday morning, with all rescue personnel accounted for.
See the post on Instagram here.
3 more articles involving stranded hikers
- A 20-year-old hiker became stranded on a steep cliff high above Newlands on Table Mountain after losing the trail as darkness fell.
- A group of five hikers became stranded on Sentinel Peak in the Drakensberg after heavy snowfall cut off their escape route.
- A hiker disappeared in the Garden Castle Nature Reserve during dangerous winter conditions, triggering an urgent overnight search.
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Source: Briefly News
