Safe, OAP biker who was lost for 24 hours... then found in a flash
FLYING over craggy Sutherland hillsides, the aircrew hunting for a pensioner who had vanished while trail biking had a mission akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
But luckily, quick-thinking George McGowan had seen the police helicopter as it searched for him, and snatched the broken wing mirror from his motorbike to catch the sun and signal the pilot.
As a result, the 77-year-old, who had already spent a night on Ben Bhraggie, was rescued and is now recovering from his ordeal.
Mr McGowan had been riding on the hills near his home in Golspie on Monday when he is thought to have come off his motorcycle.
After failing to return home around 1pm, the alarm was raised and a major rescue operation was launched. Search teams scoured the hillsaid side on Monday evening, assisted by Coastguard and police helicopters, but they failed to find him and the operation was stood down overnight.
It resumed on Tuesday and Mr McGowan was found by a helicopter just after midday – nearly 24 hours on from his scheduled return time.
The crew landed and provided first aid ahead of assistance from Assynt and Dundonnell mountain rescue teams.
Local businessman John Murray, who joined in the searches, said: ‘They found him because he was waving the mirror of his motorbike. The helicopter pilot had he not done that they wouldn’t have seen him.
‘He was just at the back of the Ben. He was in a kind of plantation bit where they were doing new fences.’ Mr Murray said the search had been like a ‘needle in a haystack’.
He added: ‘We were concerned, particularly the kind of day it was on Monday as it was not very nice. We had heard it was somebody local and on a motorbike, and somebody who was elderly. That spurred us on.’
Writing on social media, Karen McGowan, a member of Mr McGowan’s family, thanked those who had taken part in the rescue, and said he was recovering in hospital.
Meanwhile, police are appealing for information after another man was reported missing in Sutherland on Monday.
Police said Stuart Campbell 33, from Dornoch, was last in contact with friends over the preceding weekend.
His car, a red Suzuki Swift, was found at a car park used by hillwalkers to access Ben Loyal, south of Tongue, on Tuesday.
Searches of the area have been taking place. Chief Inspector Jamie Wilson said it was ‘out of character’ for Mr Campbell not to be in contact with his family.
‘Like a needle in a haystack’