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The National Sea Rescue Institute in Knysna activated a duty crew on Monday following reports of a Dutch tourist who was injured on a hiking trail in a remote part of the Drupkelders hiking trail, near Rheenendal, in the Knysna forest.
NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon says although its a relatively short hiking trail of only 3.6km, it involves vertical cliff traversing making it barely accessible.
He says a river guide had been guiding a 31 year old Dutch man and his 26 year old female partner through the trail, when the man jumped into a rock pool and sustained a suspected compound fracture to the lumbar spine.
Lambinon says the injured man is an Orthopaedic Surgeon and his partner a General Surgeon, from Amsterdam.
He says the guide climbed a vertical cliff trail to reach a cellphone signal to raise the alarm.
Rescuers later found the injured man in a serious condition, and he was transported to hospital in a stable condition.
Meanwhile the SA National Parks says the tour operator guiding two Dutch tourists, did not have a permit for kloofing.
Spokesperson, Nandi Mgwadlamba says they had the right permit for access to the Drupkelders hiking trail, but they never issued permits for kloofing, as it is not allowed in the area.
Kloofing involves following a mountain river or stream with floating, jumping and swimming during its course.
