Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 13/Jan 03:17

Rambharat: Let trained people lead hikes

PEOPLE who lead hikes should be trained and qualified, said Captain Vallence Rambharath, head of the Hunters Search and Rescue Team talking to Newsday on December 12. He was reacting to news of the tragic death of hiker Jessica Jordan, 41, of St Madeleine, who drowned when she slipped and her legs were caught between logs underwater in a rapidly rising waters at Madamas River on January 10. Reports were simply that she was among a group of eight hikers but did not say she was within a stated hiking group. Rambharath said his group highly recommended the sport of hiking but offered precautions. "You must pay attention to safety and be knowledgeable about the persons who organise hikes and in whose hands their lives depend." He related that the place where Jordan's body was found was somewhere that no hiker was supposed to be. "Her body did not wash down. Where she fell is exactly where she was found. "If Hunters Search and Rescue cannot navigate the height of water in the gorges, no hiker was suppose to be there." Rambharath described the sad scenario he surmised Jordan had faced. "She was in the gorge. She was crossing(on) a rotted log. She slipped and fell between that log and the gorge wall. It became very difficult to extract her." He insisted that no tour guide or hike leader should have taken hikers on that route. "They should have used the way they entered to return." Rambharath also urged hikers to pay attention to the weather. "Be weather-conscious, be weather wise. Oh gosh, rain fell throughout the country on Saturday. Why couldn't you just cancel the hike?" He urged hike leaders to not prioritise money-making ahead of the safety of hikers. "A person's life and safety and security were in your hands and the best thing would have been to cancel that hike. "We do not recommend hiking in rainy weather, especially in the Northern Range." Newsday asked if the hiking sector needed more oversight such as regulation, guidelines or training, or even a listing of "approved" hikers? Rambharath replied yes. "And there should be certification and training, and more than that. Employ safety personnel to be part of your hiking group. "One person to a group, who is trained and qualified, can accompany your hikers and they look specifically after that area." He said safety was the most important area. He said his group does not keep a list of approved hike leaders but that it does network with some groups to discuss the location trails before doing searches. He said the public must learn from the tragedy. "It could happen to people individually. But river-crossing in terms of hiking, you have to pay attention. "You do not cross on logs which are without bark. Such a log will now be accumulating moss and it will be very slippery during rain time. "You could imagine a bark-less log. That is too smooth for anybody to cross. It doesn't give any grip." Rambharath said the issue was poor techniques in crossing rivers. "Basically, hiking is an excellent sport but it must be done and led by highly-trained professionals." Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Palance868 Adventures Team said it has not hosted any public or private hikes for 2026. It said it is always cognisant of the weather and does not host hikes during adverse alerts or following heavy rainfall, particularly in areas where flooding or dangerous conditions may occur. "Safety is non-negotiable for us and risk mitigation is a core part of every activity we plan." It denied any knowledge of the hike that claimed the life of Jordan. It said it has never experienced any incidents where hikers are either swept away or drowned. "These are risks we actively and rigorously manage." It extended condolences to the family and friends of Jordan. The post Rambharat: Let trained people lead hikes appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.