THREE South African hikers have gone missing in the Fish River Canyon at Ai-Ais after they were directed to take a shortcut back when one of them was injured.
Ai-Ais Transfrontier Park warden Vinte Mendes said a group of seven hikers started the trail last Thursday and were supposed to returned to the checkpoint on Monday.
Only three of them returned. Mendes said a search and rescue operation was launched on Wednesday, and a helicopter was requested. ‘I’m expecting a helicopter to land anytime soon, and can’t talk long on the telephone,’ said Mendes. Mendes could not reveal the names of the missing hikers.But Ilonka de Beer informed The Namibian via SMS yesterday that her mother, Rene Booyse, along with Ricky Harmse and Sandra Harmse, who were part of the hiking group, did not return on Monday. According to De Beer, Booyse was the hiker who was injured.
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