GEORGE NEWS - When there is a call for help, George's volunteers and rescue services are always willing to answer - at home or away.

When a man from Fisherhaven in Hermanus, Ian Alton (75), went missing on Saturday 30 November in the outskirts of Montagu and his family reached out for help, members of the George Community Police Forum (CPF), Metro Rescue, AfriForum and Outeniqualand Plaaswag, Montagu and Ladismith police, the Ladismith fire brigade, members of National Crime Assist (NCA) in Hermanus, and community members all jumped in to help. 

While some teams were working hard on the ground, others were assisting remotely, and in the end, Alton was found alive.

Alton had to work on a farm between Ladismith and Montagu but got lost in the mountains of the Little Karoo. He found himself stranded without food, water, or medication when his Ford Bantam bakkie got stuck in a sandy ditch in what felt to him like the middle of nowhere.

After attempts to dig it out failed, he was forced to leave the vehicle and search for help. However, he was far from civilisation and had no cellphone coverage where he was.

When he didn't come home on Saturday and his family couldn't reach him, they reported him missing to the Montagu police. 

Read more on www.georgeherald.com

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