An American hiker was found dead this week in South Africa after going missing during a hike on Table Mountain.
On Monday, authorities in the South African capital of Cape Town announced that the body of a woman who went missing was recovered. The woman was later identified as Brook Cheuvront, a 20-year-old University of North Carolina student.
Cheuvront was reported missing Saturday after the tracking app she was using stopped updating after she left to hike Devils Peak, and friends could not reach her, according to South Africa National Parks (SANParks) spokesman JP Louw.
SANParks, which oversees Table Mountain and other national parks, said the cause of death remains undetermined, and an inquest has been launched to investigate.
Rangers, wilderness search and rescue teams, and trail runners combed the area until nightfall on Saturday but halted the search when conditions became impractical, according to Louw. The search resumed the next day with the assistance of an aircraft, which ultimately led to the discovery of the body.
South African officials advise hikers to travel in groups of at least four, discouraging individuals from hiking alone for safety reasons.
On Facebook, her family asked people to take down their posts about their missing daughter: "She was recovered. We are devastated. God help me and us."
The South African National Parks also issued a message on Facebook following the recovery of Cheuvront's body.
"South African National Parks (SANParks) confirms that a missing hiker, who was presumed to be lost on Table Mountain, was found deceased. On Saturday, September 21, the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) Operations room was notified by Metro Emergency that a missing hiker was reported on Table Mountain. The hiker left her accommodation around 12h00 to go up the mountain. Her friends did not hear from her since she left, and the tracking app never updated since she left her residence," the post said.
In another post, the park warned other hikers traveling on Table Mountain.
"South African National Parks (SANParks) has taken note of reports suggesting that there are growing concerns of crime in Table Mountain National Park (TMNP). Considering official statistics and visitor numbers, such expressions are speculative and may cause unnecessary alarm which undermines worthy and successful efforts. Over the last year, the official crime statistics have drastically decreased from 16 and 32 respectively in October and November 2023 to 6 in July 2024 and 3 in August 2024," the park said.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
