The long bolt to freedom: The Swinburne mountain rescue
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Two climbers were on the summit of a mountain near the KwaZulu-Natal border when a violent storm rolled in. Their ropes jammed 30 metres into their descent. Temperatures dropped. And getting down became far more dangerous than getting up.
As darkness closed in, they were left stranded high on the rock face, with no clear way to safety.
* SA Rescue: Out Alive is researched, written and narrated by East Coast Radio Newswatch journalists Natarah Nadesan and Dineo Mphahlele, and produced by the East Coast Radio team.
This episode honours the volunteer rescuers of the Mountain Club of South Africa, who respond when lives hang in the balance.
New episodes release every second Wednesday.
As darkness closed in, they were left stranded high on the rock face, with no clear way to safety.
* SA Rescue: Out Alive is researched, written and narrated by East Coast Radio Newswatch journalists Natarah Nadesan and Dineo Mphahlele, and produced by the East Coast Radio team.
This episode honours the volunteer rescuers of the Mountain Club of South Africa, who respond when lives hang in the balance.
New episodes release every second Wednesday.
Chapters
- 00:25 – Introduction to Episode 1
- 01:24 – Gavin Raubenheimer: Veteran Rescuer
- 02:28 – Journey to Swinburne & Rensburg Kop
- 05:39 – Climb Begins
- 06:42 – Mercia Struggles & Has a Tough Call to Make
- 07:12 – Summit Celebration
- 08:40 – Storm Strikes
- 12:10 – Ropes Stuck
- 13:23 – Calling for Help
- 15:24 – Gavin’s Rescue Team Mobilises
- 21:07 – Climbers in Distress
- 24:10 – Rescue Team Ascends in Rain
- 26:07 – Climbers Found at Midnight
- 27:25 – Descent & Relief
