KMRT rescue nine in deadly conditions
BEING tasked with rescuing nine stranded climbers from one of the most treacherous parts of Ireland’s highest mountain, in January and in hazardous conditions, was the tall order facing members of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT) at the start of 2021.
Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday last, KMRT personnel responded to a call to assist a male walker who had become crag-fast (unable to ascend or descend the mountain) due to the icy conditions while traversing the notorious Devil’s Ladder part of Carrauntoohill.
PRO of the KMRT, Colm Burke, explained that as the rescue team made their way to the casualty they encountered another party comprising three people who also got into difficulty in the same location.
The casualties were roped and lowered to safety on easier ground. But as if that wasn’t enough in hazardous conditions, KMRT responded to a further two parties who also needed to be lowered from the same location. This amounted to nine people in total requiring assistance in dangerous conditions.
Colm Burke enforces the point that people need to be respectful of the current weather conditions in the Reeks.
“They [conditions] are very serious and any route, including traditional walking routes, should only be attempted by those with prior winter mountaineering experience and the appropriate winter climbing equipment, including axes and crampons,” he said.
With yet another strict Level 5 lockdown in place, Kerry Mountain Rescue Team say it is necessary for its members to be protected, and their families, as well as the casualties themselves, from the spread of the virus.
Walkers/climbers need to be aware that under these circumstances it may not be possible to carry out rescues in the same time-frame.
Therefore, KMRT is asking all hill-goers to be considerate of the resources of the Emergency Services at this time by avoiding high mountain terrain such as the McGillycuddy’s Reeks, by sticking to lowland paths and walkways, while strictly observing social distancing principles and the 5km travel restrictions recently re-imposed by the Government.
KMRT say that due to the combination of poor conditions, and the fact its members have observed extremely ill-equipped parties on the mountains in recent weeks, every conceivable precaution to protect lives needs to be taken in these difficult times.