Incident reports
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June 2022
1 incident 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
May 2022
5 incidents fall down embankment Highlands
A person fell approximately 15 feet down an embankment at Campsie Glen near Lennoxtown on 30 May 2022. Lomond Mountain Rescue Team and other emergency services conducted a complex multi-agency rescue operation to extract the casualty, who was then airlifted to hospital. The nature and extent of injuries were not disclosed.
Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital by air ambulance
missing person (presumed) Scotland
A backpack with camping equipment was discovered abandoned approximately 100 metres east of the summit of Goatfell on the Isle of Arran. The Arran Mountain Rescue Team appealed for help identifying the owner, as it remained unclear whether the rucksack had been forgotten or intentionally left, and the whereabouts of its owner were unknown.
Outcome: appeal issued for identification of owner
injured walkers Brecon Beacons
Two women were rescued from separate incidents in the Brecon Beacons on 9 May 2022. The first woman suffered a lower leg injury above Ogmore Vale and was evacuated by helicopter to hospital. The second woman sustained a suspected lower leg fracture on the south side of Cribyn and was evacuated by stretcher and ambulance.
Outcome: both casualties evacuated to hospital by helicopter and stretcher respectively
injured hiker Highlands
A woman sustained a leg injury while hiking on the Ochil Hills in Clackmannanshire and was airlifted to hospital. Multiple emergency services including Ochils Mountain Rescue, Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Team, and Helimed 5 coordinated the rescue, carrying the casualty by stretcher to the helicopter.
Outcome: airlifted to hospital by helicopter
hillwalker fall Highlands
A church minister fell approximately 30 feet down a rocky mountainside while descending Beinn Liath Mhòr in Torridon. He sustained cuts and bruises and was assisted by Torridon Mountain Rescue Team and a coastguard helicopter before being flown to hospital.
Outcome: casualty evacuated by helicopter to hospital with cuts and bruises
April 2022
7 incidents missing person Highlands
Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team participated in a multi-agency search for a 53-year-old man from Nairn who went missing whilst hillwalking on 24 April. His car was found near Loch Mullardoch, and the search involved Police Scotland, HM Coastguard helicopter, and search dogs.
fall on steep terrain Peak District Serious incident
An adult and child slipped and fell whilst descending Birchen Clough on the Trinnacle Trail near Dove Stone Reservoir. Both casualties sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene before being transported to hospital. The Mountain Rescue Team attended for two hours and issued a warning about the challenging nature of the route.
Outcome: both casualties treated at scene and transported to hospital with minor injuries
falls while hillwalking Peak District
Two people, a young adult and a child, fell while descending Birchen Clough on the Trinnacle Trail in the Peak District. Both were taken to hospital with minor injuries and were assisted down by family members; Oldham Mountain Rescue Team attended with 21 personnel.
Outcome: both casualties taken to hospital with minor injuries
injured mountain biker Southern Uplands Serious incident
A mountain biker suffered a serious arm injury in a crash on the Innerleithen MTB trails and was airlifted to hospital by rescue helicopter. The Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue team assisted with the evacuation, which resulted in the casualty reaching hospital significantly faster than road ambulance transfer would have allowed.
Outcome: airlifted to hospital by rescue helicopter
injured hiker - fall from gully Snowdonia Serious incident
A hiker sustained serious injuries after falling from a gully on Tryfan's North Ridge and was airlifted to hospital by Coastguard helicopter. The same day, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue also assisted a walker with an ankle injury at Llyn Cowlyd and a casualty with a leg injury in a quarry in Deganwy.
Outcome: airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital by Coastguard helicopter
injured walker Peak District
A female walker fell from the path at Birchen waterfall and self-rescued with help from her partner and passers-by to a location above Greenfield Reservoir. Oldham Mountain Rescue Team located her and assisted with treatment; she was transported to hospital with suspected fractures and heavy bruising and later discharged.
Outcome: casualty evacuated to hospital, discharged with suspected fractured ankle and ribs
injured walker Brecon Beacons
A walker sustained a suspected broken leg after slipping near Clun Gwyn waterfall in the Brecon Beacons. The mountain rescue team located her and evacuated her by stretcher to a waiting ambulance. A coastguard helicopter was called but ultimately not required.
Outcome: casualty evacuated by stretcher to ambulance
March 2022
6 incidents missing person Highlands
Assynt Mountain Rescue Team was involved in an extensive multi-agency search for Finn Creaney (32), who went missing on 25 March 2022 after being dropped off at Loch Naver in Sutherland to begin a planned walking route. The search, which lasted at least six days, involved mountain rescue teams, coastguard helicopter, dogs, drones, RAF, and Police Scotland, with an appeal for dash-cam footage and public information.
Outcome: search ongoing at time of report
injured walker Highlands
A walker sustained a lower leg fracture near the summit of Ben Nevis on Thursday afternoon and was evacuated by helicopter. The rescue team also highlighted vandalism at the emergency shelter on the summit, which had been used as a rubbish bin and toilet, compromising its ability to treat casualties.
Outcome: casualty treated and evacuated by helicopter
missing person Highlands
A man missing near Ullapool in Wester Ross was located by search dog Rona in difficult terrain at Inverlael. He was extracted safely by Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team and found to be uninjured.
Outcome: located uninjured and extracted by team
climbers fallen Highlands Serious incident
Two climbers fell from Green Gully on Ben Nevis. One sustained significant injuries and was winched to hospital by Lochaber Mountain Rescue team.
Outcome: injured climber winched to hospital
Accident/Fatality Highlands Serious incident
The Mountain Rescue team reported three fatalities over a five-day period while responding to multiple callouts in the area. They issued a safety reminder stressing the importance of being adequately prepared for winter conditions when walking in the hills.
Outcome: Fatalities reported; safety reminder issued
climber death and multiple rescues Highlands Serious incident
A 28-year-old climber died on Ben Nevis on 9 March 2022, with 23 other people rescued in multiple separate incidents across the mountain. Two soldiers assisting stranded climbers sustained minor injuries requiring hospital treatment. The incidents occurred during challenging winter conditions with snow and ice coverage.
Outcome: one fatality, 23 people safely evacuated
February 2022
4 incidents fall from height Highlands
A six-year-old child and a 29-year-old man fell approximately 300 feet down the side of Fyrish Hill near Alness in the Scottish Highlands. The child sustained a fractured leg and was lowered by rope system to a forestry track before being airlifted to Raigmore Hospital; the man suffered minor injuries and walked off the hill with assistance.
Outcome: child airlifted to hospital with fractured leg, man walked off with minor injuries
cragfast climbers Snowdonia
Two climbers from a four-man group became cragfast on Llech Ddu Spur in Snowdonia during winter conditions and required rescue by Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue. The other two members of the party descended and left their companions behind. Both cragfast climbers were brought to safety by helicopter-assisted rescue in a four-hour operation.
Outcome: two climbers rescued by helicopter and rope handlines; reunited with party
lost or benighted walkers Brecon Beacons
A hamster and its owners, including an 11-year-old girl, became cold and wet during a waterfall walk in the Brecon Beacons that took longer than expected and continued into darkness. Central Beacons Mountain Rescue located the group and provided assistance to warm them up. All members of the party, including the hamster, were uninjured.
Outcome: all located and warmed by rescue team, no injuries
injured hill runner Highlands
A hill runner from Aberdour fell on West Lomond on Sunday morning, sustaining a broken leg, torn ligaments and an ankle injury. The Ochils Mountain Rescue Team and a coastguard helicopter attended, and the casualty was stretchered down and airlifted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital by coastguard helicopter
January 2022
1 incident fatal fall from cliff Snowdonia Serious incident
A 25-year-old man died after falling approximately 60 metres from the rock face in West Gully on Glyder Fach in Snowdonia on Sunday 30 January. Emergency services including Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team, coastguard helicopter and North Wales Police attended the scene; the casualty was found unconscious and pronounced dead. The fall may have been caused by rockfall, and rescue teams worked in deteriorating weather to recover the body and assist the casualty's climbing partner and two other climbers who had witnessed the incident.
Outcome: casualty died at scene; body recovered by rescue teams after 10 hours