[imagesource:facebook/mariana keyser]

Mariana Keyser found herself in a proper pickle on Monday afternoon at Dappat Se Gat, between Steenbras River Mouth and Kogel Bay Beach.

While posing for a beach photoshoot, a cheeky baboon swooped in and made off with her handbag—probably looking for snacks or car keys (because, you know, baboons).

Determined not to let the furry thief win, Keyser set off in hot pursuit. But her heroic rescue mission took a turn for the worse when she ended up stuck on a ledge, suddenly realising that baboon-proofing her bag might’ve been a better plan.

Teams of volunteers and professionals from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) responded to the scene to rescue the model from her edgy moment on the cliff.

“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,” Keyser said via TimesLIVE.

Oopsie.

She thought it would be easier to keep going up, but when she was about three metres from the top, she saw all the moss and decided not to go any further.

“I found some ground to stand on and asked my photographer to please get some help,” Keyser said.

Once rescuers arrived at the scene, one brave soul abseiled down to reach Keyser, strapping her into a rescue harness before carefully lowering her down the rest of the cliff.

Adding to the action, the Western Cape government’s EMS drone unit deployed a drone to keep tabs on the situation. Not only did it monitor the team’s progress, but it also kept an eye on the remaining baboons—who, clearly not fans of high-tech gadgetry, scattered as the drone’s powerful spotlight lit up their shenanigans.

“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 calming songs to try to remain calm. I only got stressed out when a baby baboon wanted to come to me, It’s the only time the male baboon got a little aggressive.

“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.”

Shame, the poor animals obviously had no cooking clue that it was an emergency situation.

The rescue finished up just after 11PM on Monday.

[source:timeslive]