Rescued from Mt. Rwenzori’s death claws
Sep 05, 2003
Raphael Kitseghe, 51, a porter in the Rwenzori Mountains, was injured with his colleague, Moses Kathaliko, as they tried to save David Land, a South African tourist on August 23. Kitseghe narrated to Matthias Mugisha the mishaps that befell them and how they were rescued in one of the most daring ai
l Day 1
“David Land was dressing up at the snow line near Elena Camp to climb Margherita Peak at 8:00am when he fell. Margherita, at 16,763 feet, is the highest peak in the Rwenzoris. The ranges, with the biggest snowfield in Africa, stretch 100km from south to north and 50km across and are considered the most challenging in the continent. When he fell, the only company Land had was John Bitamazire, his guide, and another tourist they found in the mountains. Bitamazire had one option –– leave him at the scene with the other tourist and run down to Kitandara camp to where we were.
Because of the extreme cold at Elena, porters take tourists’ luggage there and go back down to Kitandara Camp because we lack adequate clothing. The tourists remain at Elena with a cook and a guide. The guide escorts the tourists to the Margherita peak. It takes a day to move from Elena Camp to Margherita and back.
If something happens to the tourist or the guide in the snow, by the time the rest of the porters find out, it is usually too late. At that altitude, the walkie-talkies do not work and the cook cannot climb up to rescue them because he does not have climbing equipment.
So, that day, we were at Kitandara Camp when Bitamazire came panting. He told us that Land (red rock) had fallen down at the snow line and fractured his hip.
From Kitandara, I rushed up the mountain with my colleague Kathaliko. We reached the scene in record time (10:00am). But, bad luck was on our side. We were immobilised before we could rescue him.
As we struggled to put Land on a stretcher, disaster struck again! A huge rolling stone, the size of a bull, came our way from the glaciers up and split into three pieces. Two of the pieces headed where the stretcher was. We tried to run away carrying the tourist.
The stones hit the spot where Land’s head had been and caught Kathaliko’s legs and my left leg. I have never experienced such pain. Kathaliko has now been discharged from hospital.
Poor Bitamazire. He was now stuck with three injured and immobile men at the snow line. None of us could move. Bitamazire had no choice but to run down for help. It was not until 6:30pm that we were finally taken to the cold Elena hut, a short distance away from the snow line.
Elena hut, which is the base camp for those intending to climb the peaks, is made of wood and green iron sheets. It is as cold as the inside of a refrigerator. Elena is separated from the glacier base by slippery and treacherous rocks. The only living thing I saw when I was there was a rat. It always snows at Elena and one can take a week without seeing the sun.â€
l Day 2
“The following day, Sunday, August 24, Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS), an indigenous company that runs tourist activities in the mountains, sent more porters to Elena. But before they could reach us, they met another tourist, who could not breath. Mountain climbing has many health hazards. The higher you go, the less oxygen you get. This can result in difficulty in breathing, mental instability, followed by coma and finally death. A climber who falls sick is promptly taken to a lower altitude.
Some of the porters carried the tourist down while the rest continued to Elena to meet us. Normally, it takes four days of hiking to reach Elena. But the porters climbed the same distance in 24 hours, reaching us on Monday evening. Porters are strong men. They carry about 22kg of luggage each. Where tourists who are carrying only a camera fail to move, the porters just fly.â€
l Day 3 (The rescue)
“The following day, Tuesday, RMS dispatched another team of almost 100 rescuers. When the porters finally arrived at Elena, I was the most badly injured and they decided to carry me down to John Mathe Camp,†Kitseghe says, writhing with pain before continuing.
“John Mathe is the second camp as one climbs the Rwenzoris. The mountains are climbed anti-clockwise, starting from the RMS offices at Nyakalengijo, from where they proceed to Nyabitaba where they sleep before heading to John Mathe. They then go to Bujuku, then Elena and finally to Margherita from where they move down to Kitandara, Guy Yeoman and back to Nyabitaba and complete their trek at Nyakalengijo.â€
l Day 4 (The Air help)
“On Wednesday, a helicopter picked me from John Mathe Camp. When the Uganda Wild Life Authority got news of the accident, they contacted the South Africa Embassy, who called in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contingent that is part of the French-led Congo Force-based at Entebbe military base to help.
The SANDF and a Belgian army medical team flew in an Oryx helicopter, but failed to reach Land and Kathaliko, who were still at a higher altitude of 12,000 ft. Only I, who had been brought to a lower altitude of 10,600ft was rescued and flown to Entebbe. From Entebbe Airbase, I was taken to the Surgery hospital near Kololo before being transferred to Mengo hospital.
I do not know if I will be able to move and work again. I have a wife and eight children to look after.†he says from his hospital bed. RMS is paying his medical bills.
l Day 5
Land and Kathaliko were rescued on Thursday and flown to Bunia in eastern DRC at night. A French Air Force C130 transport plane flew them to the French mobile hospital at Entebbe air base.
l Day 6
On Friday, August 29, an air ambulance of Europe Assistance, Land’s Insurance from South Africa, flew the bald-headed tourist back home.
Following the incident, Barbara Musoke, UWA Spokesperson, says: “Mountain climbers are warned of the risks. Accidents have occurred before in the Rwenzoris. We expect every climber to be insured.â€
A porter gets $5 (sh10,000) per stage (the distance from one camp to another.) After deductions for his food, fuel and accommodation in the mountains, he is left with only sh6,000. It takes a minimum of seven days to climb the Rwenzoris.
“David Land was dressing up at the snow line near Elena Camp to climb Margherita Peak at 8:00am when he fell. Margherita, at 16,763 feet, is the highest peak in the Rwenzoris. The ranges, with the biggest snowfield in Africa, stretch 100km from south to north and 50km across and are considered the most challenging in the continent. When he fell, the only company Land had was John Bitamazire, his guide, and another tourist they found in the mountains. Bitamazire had one option –– leave him at the scene with the other tourist and run down to Kitandara camp to where we were.
Because of the extreme cold at Elena, porters take tourists’ luggage there and go back down to Kitandara Camp because we lack adequate clothing. The tourists remain at Elena with a cook and a guide. The guide escorts the tourists to the Margherita peak. It takes a day to move from Elena Camp to Margherita and back.
If something happens to the tourist or the guide in the snow, by the time the rest of the porters find out, it is usually too late. At that altitude, the walkie-talkies do not work and the cook cannot climb up to rescue them because he does not have climbing equipment.
So, that day, we were at Kitandara Camp when Bitamazire came panting. He told us that Land (red rock) had fallen down at the snow line and fractured his hip.
From Kitandara, I rushed up the mountain with my colleague Kathaliko. We reached the scene in record time (10:00am). But, bad luck was on our side. We were immobilised before we could rescue him.
As we struggled to put Land on a stretcher, disaster struck again! A huge rolling stone, the size of a bull, came our way from the glaciers up and split into three pieces. Two of the pieces headed where the stretcher was. We tried to run away carrying the tourist.
The stones hit the spot where Land’s head had been and caught Kathaliko’s legs and my left leg. I have never experienced such pain. Kathaliko has now been discharged from hospital.
Poor Bitamazire. He was now stuck with three injured and immobile men at the snow line. None of us could move. Bitamazire had no choice but to run down for help. It was not until 6:30pm that we were finally taken to the cold Elena hut, a short distance away from the snow line.
Elena hut, which is the base camp for those intending to climb the peaks, is made of wood and green iron sheets. It is as cold as the inside of a refrigerator. Elena is separated from the glacier base by slippery and treacherous rocks. The only living thing I saw when I was there was a rat. It always snows at Elena and one can take a week without seeing the sun.â€
l Day 2
“The following day, Sunday, August 24, Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS), an indigenous company that runs tourist activities in the mountains, sent more porters to Elena. But before they could reach us, they met another tourist, who could not breath. Mountain climbing has many health hazards. The higher you go, the less oxygen you get. This can result in difficulty in breathing, mental instability, followed by coma and finally death. A climber who falls sick is promptly taken to a lower altitude.
Some of the porters carried the tourist down while the rest continued to Elena to meet us. Normally, it takes four days of hiking to reach Elena. But the porters climbed the same distance in 24 hours, reaching us on Monday evening. Porters are strong men. They carry about 22kg of luggage each. Where tourists who are carrying only a camera fail to move, the porters just fly.â€
l Day 3 (The rescue)
“The following day, Tuesday, RMS dispatched another team of almost 100 rescuers. When the porters finally arrived at Elena, I was the most badly injured and they decided to carry me down to John Mathe Camp,†Kitseghe says, writhing with pain before continuing.
“John Mathe is the second camp as one climbs the Rwenzoris. The mountains are climbed anti-clockwise, starting from the RMS offices at Nyakalengijo, from where they proceed to Nyabitaba where they sleep before heading to John Mathe. They then go to Bujuku, then Elena and finally to Margherita from where they move down to Kitandara, Guy Yeoman and back to Nyabitaba and complete their trek at Nyakalengijo.â€
l Day 4 (The Air help)
“On Wednesday, a helicopter picked me from John Mathe Camp. When the Uganda Wild Life Authority got news of the accident, they contacted the South Africa Embassy, who called in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contingent that is part of the French-led Congo Force-based at Entebbe military base to help.
The SANDF and a Belgian army medical team flew in an Oryx helicopter, but failed to reach Land and Kathaliko, who were still at a higher altitude of 12,000 ft. Only I, who had been brought to a lower altitude of 10,600ft was rescued and flown to Entebbe. From Entebbe Airbase, I was taken to the Surgery hospital near Kololo before being transferred to Mengo hospital.
I do not know if I will be able to move and work again. I have a wife and eight children to look after.†he says from his hospital bed. RMS is paying his medical bills.
l Day 5
Land and Kathaliko were rescued on Thursday and flown to Bunia in eastern DRC at night. A French Air Force C130 transport plane flew them to the French mobile hospital at Entebbe air base.
l Day 6
On Friday, August 29, an air ambulance of Europe Assistance, Land’s Insurance from South Africa, flew the bald-headed tourist back home.
Following the incident, Barbara Musoke, UWA Spokesperson, says: “Mountain climbers are warned of the risks. Accidents have occurred before in the Rwenzoris. We expect every climber to be insured.â€
A porter gets $5 (sh10,000) per stage (the distance from one camp to another.) After deductions for his food, fuel and accommodation in the mountains, he is left with only sh6,000. It takes a minimum of seven days to climb the Rwenzoris.