Tourist death highlights need for rescue protocols

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

The death of a 54-year-old French tourist at Sossusvlei lasdt week has highlighted the need for a tourism rescue strategy.

Nicolas Remondiere, who went missing after going hiking in the Sossusvlei area on Thursday morning, was found dead a day later in Deadvlei.

According to police Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga, Remondiere went hiking with a group of other tourists and was last seen on Thursday at around 09:00 in the Deadvlei area at Sossusvlei.

“Nicolas got separated from the group at some stage and was nowhere to be found,” Kuwinga said.

The police said a report was made by the group's tour guide at about 15:00 and an immediate search was launched by the police, rangers and ministry of tourism staff.

A post-mortem must still be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Turned back

Delphin Ilunga from Furaha Tours and Safaris told Namibian Sun that Remondiere was a client of theirs and landed in Namibia on 8 November. He came with a group and was planning to travel through the country for 19 days.

Ilunga explained that they offer different safaris and the one Remondiere joined requires a certificate of fitness.

According to him Remondiere started climbing with the group, but halfway through he indicated to the guide that he was unable to make it and he split from the group to take an easier path back.

Ilunga said the guide told Remondiere that he should wait at the parking area, where there is a big tree with a bench.

Ilunga said it is frustrating that the police did not intervene with an aerial search when the ground teams could not find Remondiere.

“Maybe they could have found him alive. I am sure that he was wandering around and on the ground you could not see him. They were trying to follow protocols, but we believe that in an emergency we need to break those protocols.”

Local tour guide Paulus Hamukoto, who was at the scene, says it is not easy to get lost in the dunes at Sossusvlei, but there are reasons that could contribute to a person getting lost.

“If you do not listen to your guide’s instructions, you can get lost, plus this time of the year the temperatures are very high for the Europeans, and they can easily collapse anywhere.”

He says they were hiking up the ‘Big Daddy’ dune when Remondiere told the guide that he was too tired to continue. The guide told him to wait at the parking area at Deadvlei.

“So, while the rest of the group went up the dune, he walked around the dunes to Deadvlei. Deadvlei has two parts - one where there is a dead tree and another lower part where green trees are.

“So, when the group arrived at the upper part, they walked back to the parking lot and did not find him. They came to tell me and we started looking and they were mostly focusing on the area where they left him.”

Reactions

Nrupesh Soni, founder of the Namibia Travel and Tourism Forum, told Namibian Sun that this incident has highlighted the need for a tourist rescue strategy.

“If we had some of the protocols in place, we would have been able to get timely assistance from private rescue services and not have to wait for the helicopter, which was only made available the next morning.

“The police should have asked for air support immediately on the same day as the tourist was reported missing, instead of waiting for the ground rescue to first conclude their search.”

Tourism ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said the ministry was saddened to learn of the death of a tourist.

“We do not wish to see tourists exploring this country lose their lives in any way. Our wish is for tourists to experience Namibia and return to their resident destinations safely. This also shows how dangerous it can be for tourists to venture out alone, even if they think it's for a quick detour."