Cape Town – Two men have been declared dead following a dramatic rescue mission on Table Mountain which left over 800 people stranded for hours.
The men, together with a woman, were climbing Arrow Final on the side of the mountain when they are believed to have fallen.
"[The] bodies [of the men] will be secured to the cliff and Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) will commence bringing those bodies down" once all the visitors have been brought down, WSAR's Johann Marais said.
Shortly after 22:15, Marais said the sole survivor, the woman, was being brought down by the cable car.
READ: Several tourists stranded on Table Mountain
She was joined by rescuers and the first group of members of the public who have been stuck on the mountain for over five hours as the cable car was used to access the climbers.
Marais said once the woman is taken to the ground, the remaining visitors will be safely brought down the mountain.
He estimates that all visitors will be brought down by 11:30.
"We thank the public for understanding the predicament and the reason why we had to call for the assistance of the cable car," he said.
Climber stuck on Arrow Final, Table Mountain. (Image: Skymed via D Tromp)
People waiting in a queue to be taken down Table Mountain. (Image: Michael Wilcox, Supplied)
#TableMountain #MountainRescue operation #WSAR
— Mountain Safety (@SafetyMountain) January 1, 2018
(CPT photographer Robert Miller credit @WSARWesternCape @WCHEMS @TableMountainNP pic.twitter.com/4a7YHoqmzI
well done to all the visitors #TableMountain being patient and calm and working along with authorities You all are just as much a part of this operation and in the Spirt #CapeTown #SouthAfrica2018 @WSARWesternCape @TableMountainCa @TableMountainNP @WCHEMS
— Mountain Safety (@SafetyMountain) January 1, 2018
So after being stranded up Table Mountain we made the descent ( in my Birkenstocks) and boy was it scary. pic.twitter.com/YnTyR5onSH
— Fiona Domkowicz (@fionadomkowicz) January 1, 2018
