Defying Death: Woman Survives Terrifying 100-Metre Cliff Fall in Oribi Gorge
- A woman is in hospital after surviving a terrifying 100-metre fall down a cliff in Oribi Gorge, miraculously escaping her car by kicking out a window
- Despite multiple suspected fractures, she painfully climbed back up the steep embankment, slipping several times before reaching the road
- Paramedics stabilised her at the scene and transported her under advanced life support for urgent medical care, leaving onlookers stunned by her courage and resilience
Source: UGC
KWAZULU-NATAL- A woman is in hospital recovering after a harrowing ordeal in Oribi Gorge, where she survived a heart-stopping 100-metre fall down a cliff—and then, against all odds, clawed her way back to safety.
According to the KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service responded to Oribi Gorge Road at around 2 pm on Monday,9 February 2026, roughly five kilometres from the N2 turn-off, following reports that a vehicle had plunged over the edge.
When emergency responders arrived, they found the driver already at the roadside, battered and exhausted, being assisted by patrolling South African Police Service (SAPS) officers.
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What happened?
According to the driver, a sudden tyre blowout sent her car careening off the road and tumbling into the gorge. The sheer depth and dense vegetation meant the wreckage was invisible from above.
Miraculously, she managed to escape by kicking out a window—but her ordeal had only just begun. With multiple suspected fractures, she faced the daunting climb back up the steep, unforgiving embankment. Paramedics later reported that she slipped and slid several times, each attempt more painful than the last, before finally reaching the road.
By the time SAPS officers found her, she was visibly traumatised, her body battered from the fall and the gruelling climb. Paramedics stabilised her at the scene before rushing her under advanced life support to a nearby hospital for urgent care.
Man survives a 40m fall
In a similar incident, a Durban man survives after falling down a 40 metre cliff. According to reports, the man, a gardener by profession, landed on Riverside Road and then proceeded to work to safety. Authorities have not revealed the reason why the man fell. According to experts, there is a correct way to fall to avoid serious injuries. Where possible, it is recommended to lead into the fall and fall sideway aiming towards grass or dirt.
Source: Getty Images
Briefly articles on surviving accidents
A Grade 7 learner at Laerskool Mayville in Pretoria fell from a second‑storey balcony during school hours and was airlifted in critical condition to Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg for urgent medical care. The Gauteng Education Department immediately launched an investigation into the circumstances of the fall.
Previously, Briefly News reported that a man in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, allegedly attempted to take his own life by jumping from the eighth floor of a building but miraculously survived after landing on the roof of a parked taxi. The impact left him injured, yet he was still alive when bystanders and emergency services reached the scene, prompting shock and disbelief among onlookers. His survival has drawn widespread attention online as a rare and dramatic escape from a fall that could have been fatal.
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Source: Briefly News
