Model rescued from Western Cape cliff after baboon steals her bag

NATIONAL NEWS - Model Mariana Keyser found herself stranded on a cliff after trying to recover her bag from a thieving baboon on Monday.

Dedicated teams of volunteers and professionals from Wilderness Search and Rescue responded to Dappat Se Gat, between the Steenbras River Mouth and Kogel Bay Beach in the Western Cape, after receiving a distress call from Keyser’s photographer.

“I was doing a model shoot on the beach when a baboon came and grabbed my bag. As soon as I saw the baboon had left my bag alone and left, I started climbing up to retrieve it. When I reached my bag, I looked down and only then realised how high up I was,” says Keyser.

“I thought it would be easier to keep going up, but when I reached about 3m from the top, I saw all the moss… I made the decision to not go any further. I found some ground to stand on and asked my photographer to please get some help,” she adds.

Her photographer contacted emergency personnel for assistance.

Once on scene, a rescuer abseiled down to Keyser. She was placed into a rescue harness and lowered down the seaside cliff.

A drone was used to monitor the team’s progress down the cliff. Photo: Dennis Wevell and Fabian Higgins

A drone from the Western Cape Government’s Health and Wellness Emergency Management Services Unit was used to monitor the team’s progress down the cliff, while keeping an eye on the remaining baboons.

The drone, with its powerful spotlight, quickly drove off the weary troop.

“Two baboons came to sit right next to me. I thought about climbing up again but knew that it would be better to wait. I started singing very calm songs to try and be calm. I only got stressed out when a baby baboon wanted to come to me; it was the only time the male baboon got a little aggressive,” says Keyser.

“As soon as it was dark, the baby went to sleep, so they calmed down. The baboons sat next to me while I waited for help, the whole time. When help arrived, the baboons moved away.

“I have never been so happy to see a person,” she adds.

Keyser reached safety shortly after 23:00 that night.

Rescuers debrief and stow their gear after the rescue. Photo: Roy van Schoor