Couple rescued from Dublin/Wicklow mountains
A couple who went for a late-night drive in the Wicklow mountains last night had to be rescued early today after their vehicle broke down.
The couple were stranded in the remote Featherbeds area of the Dublin/Wicklow Mountains after the driver burned out the car's clutch trying to deal with the icy roads.
"Despite the numerous alerts on the radio and television, the couple went for a drive on Christmas Eve in the mountains, which last night experienced sub-zero temperatures," a spokesperson for the local mountain rescue team said.
At 4.15am, gardaí put a call out to the Glen of Imaal and Dublin/Wicklow mountain rescue teams.
The team leader of the Glen of Imaal rescue team spent some time on the phone trying to get a recovery vehicle to go to the couple, as vehicle recovery is not the remit of mountain rescue teams.
When it became apparent that no one was able to assist, two mountain rescue 4x4s were dispatched and team members recovered the couple and drove them to where they could get a taxi home.
"Mountain Rescue remind motorists to listen to weather warnings and AA advice on the radio. Should assistance be required mountain rescue teams will help stranded people but will not recover vehicles," the spokesperson added.
