Four bank holiday weekend call-outs for Mayo Mountain Rescue

MAYO Mountain Rescue volunteers had a busy bank holiday, responding to four call-outs over two days.

Saturday saw them on Mweelrea twice, while both of Sunday's missions were on Croagh Patrick.

Saturday's first call came at 7.30 p.m. to help a woman who sustained head injuries in a 15m fall on the 'ramp' (a well known route up Mweelrea, which is bordered by rising steep cliffs on one side and a very steep fall off on the other). She was accompanied by her mother, who climbed down to help her, while the third member of their party remained on safer ground and called 999 for assistance.

Mayo Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) responded, and requested assistance from their colleagues in Galway. When they reached their rendezvous point at Doolough, Rescue 118 was on the scene and air-lifted both women for transport to Galway University Hospital.

An hour after standing down at 8.45 p.m. they received another call-out to help the third member of the walking party who was having difficulty finding a safe route off the mountain.

Instructed to stay in their position at the ramp, three members located him just after midnight and walked down to the Silver Strand.

The team were back on Croagh Patrick at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday to help a woman who sustained a lower leg injury halfway up the front of the mountain. She was stretchered to a waiting ambulance and on to Mayo University Hospital.

While all this was going on the team received another call-out to assist a male walker who had a fall near the bottom of the summit cone. He was assessed by a doctor, who was on scene, and was considered fit enough to walk off the mountain, with assistance from Croagh Patrick Ambassadors. He was assessed by ambulance paramedics on arriving at the bottom of the Reek.

The team has extended thanks to the emergency services and all other people who assisted over the weekend.