Incident reports
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August 2022
3 incidents medical emergency Snowdonia Serious incident
A 66-year-old man suffered a heart attack while walking near Idwal Slabs in Cwm Idwal on Monday afternoon. He was assisted by a passing walker who raised the alarm, and was airlifted by coastguard helicopter to Liverpool Cardiac Hospital with support from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation.
Outcome: casualty airlifted to Liverpool Cardiac Hospital for treatment
group stranded in poor visibility Highlands
A 10-year-old girl and her mother and aunt were descending Beinn Achaladair in August 2022 when thick mist suddenly descended with zero visibility. After waiting an hour for conditions to improve, the mother made the decision to call 999 for assistance. A coastguard helicopter successfully evacuated the three climbers after an initial attempt was aborted due to high winds.
Outcome: all three evacuated by rescue helicopter
disoriented walkers Highlands
Three German visitors became disoriented by weather on a hill near Ullapool. They were quickly located by search and rescue dog Rona and assessed as uninjured, though cold and wet, before being walked back to their campsite.
Outcome: walkers located uninjured and walked off the hill
July 2022
8 incidents fall with serious injury Lake District Serious incident
A walker fell approximately 10 metres down a rocky chute while negotiating the bad step on Striding Edge on Monday and sustained serious injuries. She was treated at the scene by air ambulance medics and airlifted by coastguard helicopter to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary. The rescue involved 13 Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team members and took four hours.
Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital by coastguard helicopter
injured mountain biker Northern Ireland Serious incident
A mountain biker sustained a serious leg injury in Donard Wood on 31 July 2022. The Mourne Mountain Rescue Team and NI Air Ambulance attended, treated the casualty and transported him by stretcher to a team vehicle, then by helicopter to hospital.
Outcome: casualty evacuated by air ambulance to hospital
climbing accident Highlands Serious incident
An experienced mountaineer died in a climbing accident on the North Face of Ben Nevis on 29 July 2022. He fell at Zero Gully and was recovered by Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team. His family described the incident as tragic but stated it could not have been prevented.
Outcome: fatality
fatal fall Snowdonia Serious incident
An 18-year-old from Devon died on 26 July 2022 after falling approximately 300 feet on a goat track on Crib y Ddysgl during an attempt to walk the Snowdon Horseshoe. He and his father had apparently taken a wrong turn on the mountain, and the coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Outcome: fatality
mountain biker fall Highlands Serious incident
A mountain biker fell over his handlebars whilst riding in the Ochil Hills in Stirlingshire and sustained multiple injuries including to his collar bones and ribs. He was airlifted by rescue helicopter to hospital. His companions provided a precise location and kept him warm until emergency services arrived.
Outcome: airlifted to hospital by rescue helicopter
dog with heat exhaustion Northern Ireland Serious incident
A golden retriever suffering from suspected heat exhaustion was rescued from the Glen River area of the Mourne Mountains after being walked on an exceptionally hot day. The dog was treated and evacuated by stretcher over three hours by a team of twelve Mourne Mountain Rescue volunteers, then transported to a local veterinary clinic.
Outcome: dog carried off mountain by stretcher and taken to vets
injured mountain biker Southern Uplands
A mountain biker was injured after falling in Glentress Forest near Peebles on 17 July 2022. Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team attended the scene at approximately 3.30pm and transferred the casualty to the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service, with on-site treatment provided by staff from Ridelines MTB.
Outcome: casualty transferred to Scottish Ambulance Service
injured walker Highlands
A hillwalker was injured after a fall on Ben Nevis and received assistance from mountaineers at the scene who helped manage her pain until rescue arrived.
Outcome: casualty assisted by mountaineers and evacuated
June 2022
13 incidents injured mountain biker Southern Uplands Serious incident
Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team responded to two separate serious mountain biking incidents at Innerleithen's Tweed Valley Forest Park within three days. On 18 June, a casualty was evacuated from the downhill trails and transferred to hospital; a second seriously injured biker was evacuated on 21 June. Both casualties were transported by ambulance to hospital for treatment.
Outcome: casualties evacuated by ambulance to hospital
Mountain biking accident Southern Uplands
Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue attended to multiple incidents involving mountain bikers over three days in Innerleithen. The team provided initial first aid and assisted casualties to waiting ambulances following separate crashes.
Outcome: Casualties transported to hospital
missing children Northern Ireland
Two children who became separated during an orienteering exercise at Tollymore Forest Park were reported missing on the evening of 14 June. They were located safe and well approximately two miles from their last known location just before midnight, with assistance from the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team, search dogs, and police air support.
Outcome: both children located safe and well
fatal fall Snowdonia Serious incident
An outdoor instructor fell from Cneifion Arete in Snowdonia on 11 June 2022. He was discovered by other climbers and evacuated by coastguard helicopter to hospital, but died from his injuries. The Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team noted he was a respected member of the local climbing community.
Outcome: casualty died
lost group of schoolchildren Brecon Beacons
A group of schoolchildren on a Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition became disorientated in low cloud and rain on Twyn Mwyalchod in the Brecon Beacons and called 999 for assistance. Central Beacons Mountain Rescue located and guided them safely back to the valley. No injuries were reported and the group was commended for their responsible actions.
Outcome: guided safely back to valley, no injuries
lost walkers Lake District
Patterdale Mountain Rescue was called to assist two walkers who became disorientated on the High Street track above Hayeswater due to poor visibility from low cloud. The team leader provided telephone guidance using mobile location technology and compass navigation to redirect the walkers, who then successfully completed their return journey to Boredale valley.
Outcome: walkers guided back on track and successfully completed walk
missing person Southern Uplands
A woman went missing on North Berwick Law in the evening. Search and rescue teams located her and she was escorted back to support vehicles, then transported to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.
Outcome: located safely and transported to Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment
fatal fall Snowdonia Serious incident
An experienced 30-year-old walker died after falling whilst descending Snowdon on 6 June 2022. He became lost in thick mist covering the summit and fell, with the coroner concluding accidental death due to multiple injuries from the fall.
Outcome: fatality
injured walker - spinal injury from fall Brecon Beacons Serious incident
A gorge walker suffered a spinal injury with vertebral fractures after falling at Sgwd y Pannwr near Ystradfellte on Sunday afternoon. Mountain rescue teams attended and evacuated the casualty by stretcher to hospital for treatment.
Outcome: evacuated by stretcher to hospital
paraglider crash Lake District Serious incident
A paraglider sustained a serious leg injury after crashing near Scarth Gap in the Lake District. The casualty was assisted by fellow paragliders, first responders, and a nearby Keswick MRT member, then stabilised by Great North Air Ambulance Service paramedics and a doctor. He was winched aboard a Coastguard helicopter for transport to a regional trauma centre.
Outcome: casualty winched to helicopter and transported to regional trauma centre
Injury/Evacuation Brecon Beacons
A walker sustained a bad injury to their lower leg in the Black Mountains near Grwyne Fawr Reservoir. The individual was successfully evacuated from the remote location and transported to hospital.
Outcome: Hospitalised
fatal climbing fall Snowdonia Serious incident
A woman in her 50s from Cheshire died after falling while climbing on Glyder Fach in Snowdonia. Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation responded to the incident at around 14:30 BST on Thursday. She was winched to a coastguard helicopter but died shortly after; her climbing partner was assisted safely down the mountain.
Outcome: woman died
walker slipped and stranded on ledge Snowdonia Serious incident
A woman slipped while descending Tryfan after scattering her father's ashes on the summit and became stranded on a narrow ledge 300ft above a drop for over three hours. A 12-person mountain rescue team and helicopter were deployed in a seven-hour operation to locate her using mobile phone GPS and extract her by abseil. She sustained bumps and bruises but no serious injuries.
Outcome: casualty abseiled to safety by rescue team, sustained minor injuries