A volunteer-run mountain rescue charity. 28 incidents featured here.
A hillwalker sustained a lower-limb injury on The Cobbler (Ben Arthur) on Sunday afternoon. Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team administered pain relief and stretchered the casualty off the hill, handing them to the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Outcome: casualty stretchered off and handed to Scottish Ambulance Service
Loch Lomond Rescue Boat responded to seven emergency incidents over the bank holiday weekend, including rescues of stranded kayakers and paddle-boarders, medical emergencies on islands, and a serious knee injury on the West Highland Way. All casualties were safely rescued and evacuated, with the team highlighting the rapid changes in weather conditions on the loch.
Outcome: all seven incidents resolved safely; casualties evacuated including one 18-year-old treated for medical emergency and one 60-year-old with serious knee injury transported to safety
A hillwalker died on an Argyll Munro. The incident was reported by the local press but full details are not available in this blog post excerpt.
Outcome: The body was recovered by the team.
Outcome: Safe transport to Reeth
A local musician passed away while hillwalking on a Scottish mountain following his birthday celebrations. His family expressed their gratitude to the Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team for their assistance during this time.
Outcome: Deceased
The rescue team was called out on Tuesday evening to assist a walker who had sustained what was suspected to be a broken leg on the Cobbler. The casualty was reached by a doctor already in the area and a winchman paramedic from the Coastguard helicopter. Following assessment, members of the team assisted with moving the individual before they were winched for hospital transfer.
Outcome: Transported to hospital
A climber fell on a Scottish mountain and sustained a broken leg. The casualty was rescued and evacuated from the site.
Outcome: casualty evacuated
A hillwalker was reported missing on Ben Vane near Arrochar after failing to return at the expected time on New Year's Eve. Emergency services located the individual later that evening, and it was confirmed that he had sadly passed away at the scene.
Outcome: Deceased
A climber with a suspected lower limb fracture was rescued from The Cobbler (Ben Arthur) in the Arrochar Alps on 30 December after slipping on ice. A rescue helicopter winched the casualty to safety in freezing conditions, with assistance from Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team and a team doctor. The casualty was flown to hospital for treatment.
Outcome: casualty winched by helicopter and airlifted to hospital
Outcome: A mountain rescue team attended to a group of people who had climbed The Cobbler. One individual sustained a dislocated knee near the summit, and the team provided assistance.
Three walkers fell down cliffs on the West Highland Way near Loch Lomond on 22 July. Two sustained serious injuries and were evacuated by stretcher with assistance from the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat and Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team; the third declined medical attention.
Outcome: two casualties evacuated by stretcher to ambulances; one walked off and declined medical attention
Arrochar Mountain Rescue responded to a report of a sheep stranded on a cliffside near Loch Sloy hydro-electric dam for several days. The team located the animal, secured it with a harness, and lowered it safely by winch cable. The sheep was successfully reunited with its flock.
Outcome: sheep safely lowered by winch and reunited with flock
A hillwalker died after becoming ill on a popular Scottish mountain. Rescue crews were mobilised to the scene.
Outcome: fatality
Emergency services were called to Beinn Ime after a gentleman suffered a medical emergency while on the Munro. Despite a multi-agency response involving mountain rescue and coastguard helicopter support, the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
Outcome: Deceased
A 77-year-old man went missing while walking in the Gartocharn area of West Dunbartonshire. He was located by search teams from Lomond and Arrochar Mountain Rescue after several hours and was found to be wet, cold and confused but otherwise unharmed. He was checked by a doctor and returned home with his family.
Outcome: casualty found unharmed and returned home
Two walkers became stranded on Beinn Ime in the southern Highlands after sliding in snow on the afternoon of Saturday, 2 March 2024. One walker became crag-fast and a second got into difficulty, prompting a helicopter evacuation. Both were safely uplifted and returned to the foot of the mountain.
Outcome: both casualties safely uplifted by helicopter and returned to foot of mountain
A 66-year-old hillwalker failed to return from a planned walk on Beinn an Lochain in Argyll and Bute on 26 February 2023. His body was found on the hill approximately three hours after the alarm was raised. There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
Outcome: body found on hill
A hillwalker sadly passed away after falling from near the summit of Ben Cruachan last week. Mountain rescue teams and Police Scotland responded to the incident on February 7th, with personnel eventually reaching the casualty's location.
Outcome: Fatality
Two young walkers became lost on Ben Vane and called for mountain rescue at 7:30pm with their phone battery nearly depleted. The rescue team used a PhoneFind text message to locate their grid reference and brought them safely back by 12:30am. The team has since issued guidance on phone battery management and navigation precautions for hill walkers.
Outcome: located and escorted safely back
A person named Ross Cunningham describes his experience of calling Scottish Mountain Rescue during an incident in the mountains. The post reflects on why he was grateful for having made that call.
Outcome: casualty received mountain rescue assistance
A medical emergency was reported on The Cobbler (Ben Arthur) near Arrochar, Argyll and Bute on 31 August 2021 at approximately 3.45pm. Ambulance, coastguard, and mountain rescue teams responded to assist a person requiring urgent medical attention. The casualty's condition following the incident was not disclosed.
Outcome: casualty attended by emergency services; condition not disclosed
A climber was rescued by a Scottish mountain rescue team in a dramatic operation. The post references press coverage but does not provide further details of the incident.
Outcome: rescued by mountain rescue team
Two mountain rescue teams were called out on 13 June 2020. Details of the incidents are not available from the provided source material.
Three hillwalkers from Motherwell became lost in mist on The Cobbler in Arrochar and were rescued by Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team. All three were safely escorted down the mountain and met by police at the base, where they were issued fines for breaking lockdown travel restrictions.
Outcome: all three located and safely escorted down the mountain
Two hillwalkers sustained minor injuries after being caught in an avalanche in the mountains above Bridge of Orchy in Argyll. Members of Arrochar, Oban, Glencoe, Search and Rescue Dog Association Scotland and police attended to provide assistance.
Outcome: walkers sustained minor injuries
A missing person was reported on 30 December after his car was found abandoned at Ardgartan car park in Glen Croe near Arrochar. Despite an extensive seven-day search in extreme terrain by Arrochar and Police Scotland mountain rescue teams, the man was not located and police continued their enquiries.
Outcome: not located after seven-day search
Two climbers fell in Great Gully on The Cobbler in the southern Highlands and were airlifted to hospital by Prestwick Coastguard helicopter. Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team and Police Scotland MRT attended the four-hour rescue operation. Both casualties were winched to hospital for further treatment.
Outcome: both climbers airlifted to hospital by helicopter