Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Information => Outdoor News and Events => Topic started by: admin on April 05, 2016
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A schoolgirl suffered severe hypothermia and lost consciousness during a Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Mourne Mountains in County Down.
Several members of her group suffered from mild hypothermia after conditions deteriorated near Slieve Beg on Monday.
The Mourne Mountain Rescue Team was called to the scene at about 19:15 BST.
Martin McMullan from the rescue service said all 11 group members, aged 16 and 17, were quickly found and treated.
He said they were "all doing well" and the girl who suffered severe hypothermia has now returned home.
The rescue team doctor and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service were involved in the rescue.
Shelter
Mr McMullan said the teenagers' quick thinking and help for each other prevented a more serious situation.
"When you're in the mountains, the conditions are a part of it [and] you're working a little bit harder, you're carrying a rucksack on your back," he said.
"There are a lot of different factors that do take their toll on individuals.
"The one thing about these guys last night is they did a phenomenal job looking after each other.
"If they hadn't behaved in the way they did in terms of getting their entire group into shelter and calling for help, the situation could have been much, much worse."
Inaccessible
Twenty-three rescuers took part in the operation that ended at 01:10 BST.
Initially, seven of the hikers were guided off the mountains and reunited with their teachers.
Four others were treated at the scene.
The teenager who had lost consciousness was taken off the mountain and treated at the scene.
"It was a reasonably inaccessible location so we did have a big response last night," Mr McMullan said.
"When you get to the stage where you may have to stretcher someone out of the mountain, that requires 12 people in itself."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35966259