Team members bring the cragfast group to safety. Photo: Aberdyfi SRT
Two children were among four people rescued from a precarious position when they got stuck on a Snowdonia cliff.
Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team was alerted about noon on Friday that a family group was cragfast on a cliff overlooking the road to Abergynolwyn.
A team spokesperson said: “A quick investigation of likely locations quickly pinpointed the party, two men and their daughters aged seven and four, high in the quarry area of Birds’ Rock near Bryncrug.
“The group had attempted to scramble to the summit of Birds’ Rock via the steep quarry portion of the hill, an area of shattered and loose stone and scree, and got an estimated 150m above the level of the road before becoming stuck and calling for help.”
Rescuers took 5½ hours to complete the operation to bring the four to safety in what they described as a dangerous working area with poor anchor options and a high risk from falling material.
The men and their children were given safety equipment by the team, then lowered in two pitches to the roadside.
Team volunteer Graham O’Hanlon helped coordinate the rescue. He said: “The nature of the hillside made this a slow and technically demanding procedure in a difficult working environment.
“We were all very glad when the casualties and the rescue volunteers made it safely down to the road.”
PJ Derwent
04 August 2018How irresponsible of these men.
It doesn't take a mountain leader to know that little children of 7 and 4 should not be taken to such dangerous locations.
Social services should be informed. !
Sorry if this sounds harsh but these people are unfit parents.
Snowdonia Breaks.
04 August 2018Poor kids, they must have been terrified. The dads obviously would have been very upset as well. A lesson learnt albeit a little late
I'm sure. Well done rescue team as ever.
I love Snowdonia
04 August 2018Well done the search & rescue team
Marie
04 August 2018Pj Derwent not cool to be judgemental, must be ace to be so perfect, well done rescue team
Phil Nendick
06 August 2018What a silly comment Marie, PJ Derwent is absolutely right. I’ve seen some irresponsible parenting during my time in Mountain Rescue and this certainly qualifies.
Gerald Davison
09 August 2018I tend to use the phrase "many people don't know what they don't know".
It can surprise people reading Grough (who by and large will be outdoor enthusiasts) that the average person on holiday (maybe from a town or city) can make what apears to be a massive error of judgement in the outdoor environment.
But when you speak to people like those in this crag fast group, they invariably start with something like "I didn't realise.....".
People are rarely deliberately reckless, especially with kids around.
Paul
09 August 2018It’s an honest mistake which thankfully didn’t have a tragic ending , I agree with Gerald your not putting your kids life in jeopardy on purpose ,to say their unfit parents and social services should be informed without knowing the individuals concerned is a pretty wild statement . I’m sure they are good parents /people who will be gutted it turned out the way it did .
Honest John
10 August 2018PJ Derwent and Phil Nendick really need to get a life.
MRDog
11 August 2018@PJ Derwent: "Social services should be informed. Sorry if this sounds harsh but these people are unfit parents."
Harsh? Yes. Self-righteous? Also yes. On the basis of one report here, you condemn these two people out of hand as "unfit parents". And then Phil Nendick weighs in with his mountain rescue experience. I also spent many years in mountain rescue, where the ethos was NOT to condemn or criticise publicly. As others have said above, people often make mistakes through inexperience or lack of knowledge - yes, sometimes with tragic results. In this case, though, I imagine the parents concerned will have learned a very tough lesson.