The man was found by rescuers at the foot of Helvellyn's headwall

The man was found by rescuers at the foot of Helvellyn's headwall

Details have been released of the massive search for the missing man who died after being found on Helvellyn.

At the height of the search for the walker, 62 mountain rescue team members were involved in looking for the man, who had been reported missing after failing to check out of his hotel.

It is believed he might have lain on the mountain for four days before being found.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out yesterday by police to search for the man, and the team’s volunteers were joined by two other teams and search dogs.

A Patterdale MRT spokesperson said: “The man, from the South of England, was staying at a hotel in the Windermere area and had indicated that he intended to walk up Helvellyn on Thursday 8 January.

“The last known contact was around lunchtime that day but he was not reported missing until the weekend when he failed to check out of his hotel.

“Based on the information available, and in darkness, strong winds and heavy rain, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team began to coordinate a search of the main areas on the Helvellyn range.

“They called for the assistance of other rescue teams: RAF Leeming, Penrith and the Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs. Between approximately 5pm and 11pm, 49 mountain rescuers and five search dogs and handlers were involved.

“Just before midnight the search was postponed with a plan to resume at first light as a severe weather warning was in force and visibility was worsening during the early hours of Monday.”

Today at 7.30am the search resumed, with members of Keswick, RAF Leeming, Penrith and Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Teams and five dogs from the Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dog Association joined by three more dogs and handlers from the Search and Rescue Dog Association (England).

A Royal Navy Sea King joined the search operation

A Royal Navy Sea King joined the search operation

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire joined search efforts and airlifted equipment to the mountain.

The Patterdale team spokesperson said: “At 10.30am, a search dog found a man on the headwall of Helvellyn at the same time as an RAF team spotted the man from above.

“Within minutes the team were on scene. However, sadly the man had sustained serious injuries and was later pronounced dead at Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team base.

“During the second day of searching 62 mountain rescuers were involved for almost eight hours.”

Mike Blakey, Patterdale MRT team leader said: “In these tragic circumstances the thoughts of all those involved in the man’s rescue are with his family and friends. I would like to thank all of our colleagues in the other mountain rescue teams, mountain rescue search dog handlers, the police and the Royal Navy Sea King crew who did everything they could to assist in finding this man quickly.

“Rescues like this always involve an element of risk. During the night and this morning, in the heavy winds, two search dog handlers sustained minor injuries. We wish them a speedy recovery.”

The walker has not been formally identified, but the family of missing man Michael Flanagan has been informed.

Police said the coroner would be informed.

Some articles the site thinks might be related:

  1. Walker who fell to his death on Snowdon named as Steven Smith
  2. Injured walker airlifted from Park Fell after slip on frozen ground
  3. Hypothermic man may have been on Peak District hill overnight after fall
  4. Hypothermic woman rescued from Malham Cove
  5. Skye rescuers find body on Cuillin range