Rescuers at the scene near Hind Crag guide in the Coastguard helicopter. Photo: Keswick MRT
Rescuers who were called out to help a pair of walkers who were lost after spending 10 hours on the Lake District fells discovered a second group in difficulties nearby.
A rescue dog and handler found the two women, aged 68 and 75, after they called for help from the Glaramara ridge.
Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 3.40pm on Tuesday to help the two walkers who had become exhausted and could not find their way off the fell in mist.
A Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “Given that conditions were deteriorating, one team of rescuers with a search dog set off immediately to search up Hind Gill, while a second group, also with a search dog, set off a bit later to search up from Mountain View towards Combe Gill.
“Shortly after this group got going, the ladies were found by search dog Rona near Combe Head.
“The second group continued up to offer assistance, when it became apparent from whistles in the vicinity of the first incident, that there was another group in difficulties. This second group of team members was then diverted to Seathwaite to assist, and the two exhausted ladies were escorted down to Mountain View, where they were picked up by a team vehicle and driven round to their car which was at Seathwaite.
“They had been on the hill 10 hours at this point.”
While dealing with the first incident, a team member spotted a survival bag some distance below him.
Rescuers and the search dog at the scene on the Glaramara ridge. Photo: Keswick MRT
The spokesperson said: “He went to investigate, and discovered a group of walkers, one of whom had slipped and fallen while attempting to descend a very loose and difficult route down the side of Hind Crag.
“The team now had rearrange itself for a stretcher evacuation, with some members from the first job coming round from Mountain View to assist, and three more coming out from Keswick.
“In view of the very difficult location, the team leader on the day requested assistance from the Coastguard helicopter so the lady could be winched out.”
The Sikorsky S-92 based at Caernarfon flew to the scene, above Seathwaite.
The Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “With poor visibility, this called for excellent flying from Rescue 936, which managed to winch her safely aboard. She was then flown to the Cumberland Infirmary for treatment.”
The first rescue lasted more than three hours, with 13 volunteer team members involved, and 17 took part in the second rescue, while took almost three hours.
