One hundred and fifty people were rescued from the severe snow storm in the Kokstad area today. A call came in this morning at around 07h00 that people were stuck in the severe snow on the R617 at the Kings Cross mountain pass since yesterday.

15 Squadron, S A P search and rescue and a Netcare 911 rescue officer and paramedic flew out to the scene in a Oryx Helicopter. When we arrived at the scene we found a bus and a truck stuck along the road in a remote area .

After landing two rescue officers went to the bus and two people were found in the bus. The helicopter then spotted a car that rolled and was partially covered with snow, the Netcare rescue officer was hoisted down and searched through the wreckage but the occupants seemed to have been removed.

Later we arrived at the mountain pass were we found a 150 trapped in two busses and seven trucks, a couple towing a caravan was also stuck but was in good spirit camping in the snow. Rescuers managed to air lift thirty children and a 120 adults to Kokstad were the disaster management placed them into a community hall , caring for all their needs. [Chris Botha, Netcare 911]

Photos from Chris Botha , Netcare 911

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