A hiking trip turned into a near 24-hour ordeal for a man who fell into the Mt Longonot crater on Saturday.
The victim, identified as Bildad Simiyu, slipped while hiking and landed on a narrow ledge inside the steep crater, making it impossible for rescuers to reach him immediately.
Officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) responded to the incident but had to halt the rescue at night due to the dangerous terrain and darkness. The team stayed at the crater rim, keeping in constant contact with Simiyu, monitoring his condition, and reassuring him through the cold and isolated night.
At sunrise on Sunday, KWS called in reinforcements from the Kenya Red Cross, Nakaru Emergency Brigade, Kenya Police, and ITARC Hospital. The joint team began a careful rescue operation using ropes and specialized equipment to navigate the crater’s rocky interior.
After several hours, rescuers reached Simiyu at around 3 p.m., stabilized him, and safely lifted him to the crater rim. He was immediately taken to Naivasha County Referral Hospital for treatment, where doctors confirmed he had suffered a fracture to his left leg and was now stable.
In a statement, KWS praised all agencies involved, saying: “We thank all the officers and partner agencies involved for their teamwork, professionalism and dedication.”
Mt Longonot, located in Nakuru County within the Great Rift Valley, is a dormant volcano that rises to about 2,776 metres. Its crater is 1.8 kilometres in diameter with steep walls dropping roughly 500–600 metres, making rescues challenging. The mountain is one of Kenya’s most popular hiking destinations, attracting both local and international tourists.
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