Double Rescue in Wicklow (06/01/13)
On Sunday 6th January, An Garda Síochána tasked the Glen of Imaal Red Cross Mountain Rescue Team and the Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team to the first of 2 separate rescues which involved 5 people.
The first callout occurred at 11:35 hrs and involved a man in his 50’s who was descending the zig-zag track into the Miners Village in Glendalough. He had been walking with his family when he tripped and fell, badly cutting his face and incurring a neck injury. He was met by members of the Mountain Rescue teams where he was treated for his injuries and stabilised with the help of An Garda Síochána. Due to the nature of his injuries an Irish Aer Corps helicopter was tasked to his location. Because of weather conditions and high winds the helicopter was unable to complete an airlift in Glendalough and was instead routed to Laragh GAA pitch. The patient was transported by road by a HSE ambulance to the Laragh GAA pitch where a transfer was completed at 14:00hrs and he was flown to Tallaght hospital for further treatment.
In the second incident which occurred at 14:20hrs the teams where again tasked by An Garda Síochána to come to the aid of 4 walkers, who were in 2 separate groups of 2 (3 Males & 1 Female) who had gotten lost whilst descending Lugnaquilla, Wicklow’s highest Mountain. The separate groups had both summited the mountain and upon descend took a wrong turn ending up in the wrong valley. Both parties were due to descend into the Glen Of Imaal but descended into the Ow Valley. The first group, a Male and Female in their 20’s having realised they were lost in very bad visibility had alerted Mountain Rescue and were then meet met by the second group of Males. They decided to stick together as a group until they were met by Mountain Rescue. The group was located using the SARLOC custom built Mountain Rescue location program with the use of their smartphone. Once located a number of team members were dispatched to their location where they were met and walked off the mountain to a waiting 4×4 vehicle. They were transported back from the Ow Valley to their vehicles in the Glen of Imaal by 16:00hrs.
Mountain Rescue would like to thank all those involved in both successful rescues including:
An Garda Síochána, Irish Aer Corps, HSE Ambulance Service & Wicklow Mountains National Park Service
