The men were airlifted from Ben MacDui shortly before midnight. Photo: Joe Dorwood
Two walkers were rescued from the UK’s second highest mountain after getting into difficulties in atrocious conditions.
Rescue team members led the pair to safety as 100mph winds battered Ben MacDui last night.
The walkers called for help after getting soaked during a walk on the Cairngorms plateau. They had set off from the CairnGorm Mountain ski resort two days previously.
A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire flew to the site and airlifted the men, who were in their 20s, from the hillside after members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team found them and accompanied them part-way down the 1,309m (4,295ft) mountain.
Team leader Willie Anderson praised the helicopter crew’s flying as amazing.
The men had managed to text their position to rescuers, who faced blizzards and lightning during the incident. The team was called out about 5pm yesterday and found the walkers about 10pm.
Mr Anderson said the men were lucky. He added their chances of survival on the mountain overnight would have been very slim.
Neil
08 January 2015I'm always amazed! If people want to go out in the mountains in winter when strong winds and bad weather is forecast, then they ought to be prepared to get themselves out when it looks bad and not put other peoples lives at risk.
Mike
09 January 2015Think the clue might be in 'two days earlier' v dangerous not to have access to weather reports if in the mountains at this time of year. Ths apalling weather was predicted and only lunatics would go out in it, but perhaps they didn't get a forecast? Or more likely they pushed their luck. When thatsort of weather is orecast, the answeris to get of the mountain!
God help anyone who was out last night though! Scotland seems to be shut down this morning!
Clearly a brave and talented Sea King crew. Wonder if that will happen after privatisation? Its one thing risking your life as a serving officer, or even as a volunteer if thats what you are committed to do such as MRT and equally brilliant RNLI. But as a simple employee of a commercial operaion? Not sure that will happen. Hope I am wrong, but it is a concern
John
10 January 2015If only there was some way to predict what the weather would be doing in the near future. Perhaps people could look at this 'fore-cast' and take an appropriate course of action like plan a less exposed route at a lower level?