Six climbers saved from treacherous mountain peak
SIX climbers were rescued from Carrauntoohill on Wednesday night after treacherous weather conditions threatened their safety.
At the time of the rescue operation, conditions were so severe at the mountain range in Co. Kerry that it was even deemed unsafe to use a helicopter to aid in the descent.
Valentia Coastguard was alerted to the scene at approximately 5pm, with officials notified that a woman climbing as part of the group of six had been injured in the Hag’s Glen area.
It would take more than eight hours to bring all parties to safety, as the crew worked through the night.
Following the alert, members of Kerry Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT) were called to the scene, where the woman was brought to safety at around 1.20am yesterday morning.
When the crew went to rescue the woman, it soon emerged she was just one of a party of six who had all become stuck on several crags 150 metres from the bottom of a remote gully below a peak known as The Bone.
Conditions at the time of the climb were described as being ‘extremely challenging’ as plummeting temperatures proved to be an immense obstacle for the group of six.
An ambulance was not required and the woman is believed to be in recovery.
KMRT’s Gerry Christie said it was ‘a challenging operation, in challenging weather, with a happy ending.’
He said: ‘The lady who took the fall was able to walk off the mountain.’
There had been fears of hypothermia but all six were fine after their ordeal.
‘They were tired but fine, and happy to see us,’ Mr Christie said.
The six were aged in their 20s and 30s and were described as being well prepared for the outdoors.
Mr Christie rejected suggestions that the party should not have been attempting the climb in the first place because of the weather.
He said the mountain was not particularly treacherous at the time and that some climbers liked to go up in snowy conditions.
‘I’d go up in snow – though [only] in hard snow,’ he said.
The snow on the mountain range yesterday was described as being wet and slippery.
‘They were... fine, and happy to see us’