Incident reports

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June 2021

1 incident

May 2021

5 incidents

Red Pike

medical emergency with aviation hazard Lake District

A helicopter attending a serious medical emergency at Red Pike was endangered when a drone was spotted flying in the area during the casualty evacuation. The incident highlighted the significant risks posed by drones to emergency aviation operations, though no collision occurred and the patient was successfully winched to hospital.

Outcome: casualty winched by helicopter and taken to hospital for treatment; drone operator not identified

Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

injured walker Southern Uplands

An injured walker was rescued from Holyrood Park in Edinburgh with the assistance of emergency services. The casualty was extracted from the location and received appropriate care.

Outcome: casualty rescued by emergency services

injured walker Southern Uplands

An injured walker with a lower leg injury was evacuated from Holyrood Park near Arthur's Seat on the evening of 29 May 2021. A Coastguard rescue helicopter attempted to assist but was unable to land due to dense fog, so the casualty was evacuated by Scottish Ambulance Special Operations team using a Wolverine vehicle.

Outcome: casualty evacuated by Scottish Ambulance SORT team for transport to hospital

Gelligaer Common

paraglider crash Brecon Beacons Serious incident

A paraglider crashed on Gelligaer Common near Deri and was attended by Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, Welsh Ambulance Services HART, and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. The casualty was fully immobilised and evacuated by stretcher to the roadside for transfer by ambulance to the major trauma centre in Cardiff.

Outcome: casualty evacuated to major trauma centre by ambulance

Rough Tor, Bodmin Moor

injured teenager - fall from height South West

A teenage girl fell from height on Rough Tor during a Duke of Edinburgh Award exercise and sustained a lower leg injury. The Cornwall Air Ambulance and West Cornwall Search and Rescue Team responded; after initial assessment ruled out serious injury, she was evacuated by the team's off-road ambulance to a waiting land ambulance.

Outcome: evacuated by team ambulance to land ambulance; injuries not serious

April 2021

10 incidents
multiple: injured walker, gorge fall, climbing fall Highlands

Ochils Mountain Rescue Team responded to three separate incidents on Sunday during what began as a training day. The incidents included an injured walker on Dumyat who was stretcher-evacuated, a casualty who fell into a gorge near Cambusbarron who was airlifted to hospital, and a climber who fell in the Cambusbarron area and walked off the hill with assistance.

Outcome: first casualty evacuated by stretcher; second airlifted to hospital; third walked off with assistance

River Severn, Gloucester Docks

missing person / body recovery South West Serious incident

A 25-year-old man reported missing from Gloucester on 24 April was found deceased in the River Severn near Gloucester Docks the following morning. A multi-agency search involving police, Severn Area Rescue Association, fire and rescue, and the National Police Air Service was conducted overnight. The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Outcome: body recovered from river

Mourne Mountains

wildfire Northern Ireland

A major wildfire in the Mourne Mountains started deliberately in the early hours of 23 April and covered 3.5 square kilometres. Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, supported by numerous partner agencies including Mourne Mountain Rescue, completed firefighting operations on 25 April after mobilising over 100 firefighters and specialist equipment.

Outcome: fire extinguished after 2.5 days; no casualties reported

Glen Tilt

Injury (Mountain Biker) Highlands

A call out was made late Sunday night/early Monday morning to the Glen Tilt area for a mountain biker who sustained a leg injury. The team wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

Outcome: Casualty treated and wished well

Slieve Donard

medical emergency / collapse Northern Ireland Serious incident

A walker collapsed on Slieve Donard between the summit and Bog of Donard col on 17 April 2021. Despite the efforts of rescue team members and medical personnel, the walker was pronounced dead at the scene. The casualty was recovered by stretcher and handed to undertakers.

Outcome: deceased at scene

fall into river Highlands Serious incident

A 24-year-old man fell into the river at Devil's Pulpit gorge in Finnich Glen near Loch Lomond on Sunday and sustained serious injuries. Lomond Mountain Rescue Team attended and extracted him by stretcher before handing him to the Scottish Ambulance Service for transport to hospital.

Outcome: casualty packaged and extracted by stretcher, transported to hospital by ambulance

injured walker Brecon Beacons Serious incident

A woman suffered suspected spinal, hip and lower back injuries after falling while walking near Lower Clyn Gwyn waterfall in the Brecon Beacons. She was treated by mountain rescue and ambulance crews, then carried by stretcher to a Coastguard helicopter which airlifted her to hospital after being unable to winch her due to local conditions.

Outcome: casualty evacuated to hospital by stretcher and helicopter

missing persons Highlands Serious incident

Two walkers died in separate incidents within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs national park within days of each other. A 33-year-old man was found deceased on Ben A'an after being reported overdue from a walk, and another walker's body was found on Ben More earlier in the week. Both searches involved significant mountain rescue effort and difficult winter conditions.

Outcome: both casualties found deceased

missing person Highlands Serious incident

A 33-year-old man was reported missing after failing to return from a hill walk overnight in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. He was discovered deceased on Ben A'an on 1 April after a search by Lomond and Killin Mountain Rescue Teams, Police Scotland, and the Coastguard. Police found no suspicious circumstances.

Outcome: body recovered

March 2021

5 incidents

Lammermuir Hills, Cranshaws

Fire/Accident Southern Uplands Serious incident

A man died after his clothing caught fire while he was working on an estate in the Lammermuir Hills. Emergency services attended the scene when the incident occurred on Monday afternoon. The individual was airlifted to a hospital but sadly passed away the following day.

Outcome: Fatality

quarry near Newhey, Rochdale

crag-fast casualty with dogs Peak District

A man and his two dogs became crag-fast on a steep ledge in a quarry near Newhey in Rochdale during darkness. Oldham Mountain Rescue Team deployed 22 members who abseiled down and hauled all three to safety over two hours and fifteen minutes. All were uninjured and returned to their vehicle.

Outcome: man and both dogs hauled to safety uninjured, returned to vehicle

Besom Hill, Oldham

walker fallen and crag-fast Peak District

A young woman became stuck on a ledge on Besom Hill near Oldham on Friday afternoon. As Oldham Mountain Rescue Team prepared to rescue her, the ledge gave way and she fell 35 metres down a steep shale slope. She was treated on site by multiple medical personnel and evacuated by stretcher, with hospital assessment later confirming no major injuries.

Outcome: casualty evacuated by stretcher, no major injuries confirmed at hospital

lost walkers Brecon Beacons

Two women who travelled from Gwent to visit waterfalls between Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte became lost in the area during lockdown. A search party of over 20 volunteers from Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team, police, and rescue dog teams located and escorted them back to the car park. Both were subsequently fined by police for breaching coronavirus regulations.

Outcome: located and escorted back to car park, fined for lockdown breach

lost hillwalker Highlands

A hillwalker became disorientated while descending Am Faochagach in thick fog and was reported missing to Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team at around 9pm. The casualty was located by search and rescue dog handlers Alison and Meg at 00.40 and was assessed, warmed up, and safely escorted back to the carpark.

Outcome: casualty located by search and rescue dogs and safely escorted off mountain

February 2021

3 incidents
climber fall Peak District Serious incident

A man fell from the Trinnacle rock formation near Dovestones during strong winds and was found in a very serious condition. He was rescued by a multi-agency operation involving Oldham Mountain Rescue Team, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and was airlifted to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

Outcome: casualty airlifted to hospital by helicopter winch

Sliddens Moss

Lost persons/Injury Peak District

Mountain Rescue teams were called out to Sliddens Moss on February 20th for two lost walkers who had become disoriented while heading towards Black Hill. One walker sustained a groin injury, but after assistance and encouragement, both individuals were safely located and returned to the rendezvous point.

Outcome: Safe recovery

Location not specified

rescuer fall Lake District Serious incident

A mountain rescuer fell approximately 150 metres while assisting rule-breaking campers. A fundraising campaign subsequently raised £550,000 in support.