Stranded snowboarders found on Wicklow Mountains
Two snowboarders missing for 21 hours in the Wicklow Mountains have been found by rescuers. The men were located just before 1pm at an area known as South Prison.
Michael Mulford at the RAF Rescue Centre at Kinloss in Scotland said: “ We are glad to learn they have been found. We understand they are being treated by paramedics. We do not know their immediate condition but we hope everything turns out well for them.”
A rescue helicopter and mountain rescue team from RAF Valley, together with the Ogwen Valley MRT, a civilian unit from Wales, were airlifted to the scene to help dozens of local rescuers and helicopters. The men were found by members of the Irish mountain rescue service.
The two Irish climbers, who are aged in their 30s, became disorientated in freezing fog at 4pm yesterday.
They were forced to spend the night on the mountain but remained in mobile phone contact with rescue teams.
Some 50 members of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW) with Arctic survival skills were dropped into the area by Air Corps helicopters today after they were diverted from nearby drills in the Glen of Imaal military zone.
Teams from Co Wicklow, Co Kerry and Newcastle, Co Down assisted the search, led by Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue.
A RAF Sea King helicopter flew in a specialist military rescue team from RAF Valley in Wales while an Irish Coastguard helicopter from Waterford also transported a civilian rescue unit across the Irish Sea from nearby Ogwen Valley.
Lugnacoille is about 925m (3,035ft) high and its base is located close to Glenmalure, about 105km (65 miles) south of Dublin.
Met Éireann forecast sleet and snow across high ground in the central Wicklow area today.
The RAF admitted it was unusual for its personnel to get involved in an Irish mountain rescue operation.
“Our colleagues in Ireland requested our assistance and we are happy to help,” said a spokesman for the RAF Rescue Centre at Kinloss in Scotland.
“It is very unusual for UK assets to deploy in this way, especially a civilian team, but when lives are at risk everyone with the expertise who can help wants to help.
The alarm was raised at about 9.30pm last night by Army personnel in the Glen of Imaal.
