Two Reek callouts for mountain rescue since Sunday
AFTER a busy Reek Sunday, there's been no let up for Mayo Mountain Rescue Team who have responded to two emergency calls on Croagh Patrick since then.
Late on Sunday night the team also received a callout to Slievemore in Achill after flashing lights were seen on the mountain, possibly signalling distress.
Yesterday (Tuesday) MMRT were tasked by the gardaí just before 2 p.m. to assist a male casualty who fell near the summit of Croagh Patrick and sustained a head injury.
Due to low cloud, the Coastguard helicopter couldn't reach the cone section and instead winched a crewman to the shoulder while MMRT dispatched a first response party from the base at the back of the Reek.
R118 also brought up members of the Coastguard Unit from Westport to assist. The helicopter paramedic and Coastguard unit reached the casualty and provided first aid.
Due to the nature of the injury sustained and the weather conditions, it was decided to stretcher the casualty down the cone to the helicopter on the MMRT stretcher using ropes.
The helicopter, which landed on the shoulder of the mountain, then flew the patient to Mayo University Hospital for treatment.
Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team and Galway Mountain Rescue Team were also tasked to assist during this operation given the recent number of rescues MMRT have had to deal with since last Friday but were were stood down en route. The Mayo team was stood down at 6.25 p.m.
MMRT assisted another person who fell and suffered a leg injury on the cone section of the Reek on Monday afternoon. They were given first aid and stretchered down from the mountain to a waiting HSE ambulance at MMRT’s Reek base.
And, after a busy Reek Sunday, the team were tasked by An Garda Síochána just before midnight on Sunday to investigate a report of persons in need of assistance on Slievemore in Achill.
Flashing lights had been observed on the mountain, possibly signaling distress.
An initial search party were tasked to the location but en route it was established that the distress lights were not emitted by persons lost or missing and the team were stood down an hour later.
Flag day
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team are holding their annual flag day fundraiser in Westport this Saturday, August 3. Please come out and show your support to the team and say hello to the team members.