Climbing club Spanish rescue drama

TRALEE MOUNTAINEERING CLUB MEMBERS’ FREEZING NIGHT ON SPAIN’S HIGHEST PEAK

FIVE members of Tralee Mountaineering Club had to spend a night on the summit of Spain’s highest mountain when two cable cars on the mountain broke down in mid air.

A group of 15 from the Tralee club were among 111 tourists stranded on the summit of the Mount Teide volcano in Tenerife when the emergency unfolded last Wednesday.

While 10 members of the Tralee club were able to walk down to the base station on the 3,700 metre mountain, five of the Kerry group were forced to stay on the peak as two of their party were unable to walk down.

One was suffering from altitude sickness and the second had suffered a twisted ankle.

They, and 106 other tourists, were forced to spend the night on the mountain summit where they had to shelter in three small cabins in temperatures that, at times, fell as low as -16 Celsius.

By midday on Thursday the group had been airlifted from the summit by helicopter and brought to medics at the base station.

The Spanish emergency services said the tourists, who spent the night at the improvised shelters, were given food, water and warm clothes and were accompanied by emergency personnel.

An emergency services spokesman told The Kerryman that while there were no serious injuries, some people suffered high blood pressure, altitude sickness, minor cuts and dizziness.

Club Member Paul Walsh – who spent the night on the mountain – described the conditions as very cold and uncomfortable and praised the Spanish emergency services for their skill.