Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
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Ben Nevis Rescue
The temptation has got to be to leave them to it rather than rescue them. The last couple of days have been no different, snow down to a couple of hundred feet. Wild on top of the mountains. You can see what it’s like before you go up.
Rescuers said four people helped from Ben Nevis were lucky to be alive.
They said the group who were caught in blizzard conditions had "no ice axes, no crampons and as far as we are aware no maps". Three of them were wearing trainers
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team found them near the summit of the mountain.
All four were taken by helicopter from part-way down the mountain to be checked over at Belford Hospital in Fort William.
The rescue helicopter, R151, could not be used near the summit because of the severity of the conditions.
In a statement, the rescue team said: "All casualties lifted from Half Way Lochan by R151 and transported by Team to the Belford Hospital. Extremely lucky people. No winter kit - no ice axes, no crampons and as far as we are aware no maps.
"Three of the guys were in trainers! They were about 150 metres down into Coire Eoghainn on steep ice and if they had slipped or gone down any further consequences could have far more serious."
They added: "Could have so easily ended up so different."
The rescue team described as "horrendous" weather with the wind chill about -20C.
Last edited by Someone-Gone on 11th Feb 2020 8:19 am. Edited 1 time in total
11th Feb 2020 8:17 am
Browny90
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11th Feb 2020 9:01 am
Moo D3 Decade
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Agree. Actions have consequences. Bill them.D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
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11th Feb 2020 9:19 am
leeds
Member Since: 30 Aug 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 4314
Darwin award candidates?
Now mountain and cave rescue teams are volunteers and will go out in horrendous conditions to help people and animals. I wonder how many of those volunteers have been injured or killed whilst carrying out their volunteer duties?
Whilst even the most experienced walker/climber/caver can suffer from a slip or fall people do need to take responsibility for their own actions.
These idiots need educating and the simplest way to get the lesson through to them is via their pockets.
At a guess an hours flying time of a rescue helicopter would be several thousand £s
Brendan
11th Feb 2020 9:26 am
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
When I lived in Fort William, the place was mobbed most days throughout the year with visitors wanting to climb the Ben. Most were well equipped, but you got more than a fair few that weren’t, including muppets going up in T shirts and Flip Flops!
Walking/climbing is increasing in popularity. It would make sense if those rescued paid towards that, like an insurance as they do abroad.
11th Feb 2020 9:50 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
A bit like the surfer off Hastings, more volunteers risking their lives.
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
leeds wrote:
At a guess an hours flying time of a rescue helicopter would be several thousand £s
Brendan
The Air Ambulances reckon about £5k per call out, I’m guessing this would have been considerably more.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
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11th Feb 2020 9:59 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26776
Madness! I have been up BN several times, always in the mid summer and it can be wild even then! I wouldn’t even contemplate it in winter.
11th Feb 2020 11:08 am
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
Oh well, they were foreign with very little English. So you’ve got the helicopter and apparently 40 odd Lochaber Mountain Rescue members. Volunteers risking their lives for what?
11th Feb 2020 6:14 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
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"Volunteers risking their lives for what?"
To save the lives of others.
People can be stupid, uninformed, naive, ill prepared etc. etc. etc.2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
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11th Feb 2020 6:42 pm
J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
The trouble with billing people for rescue is that it may deter some from stupidity, but IMO its more likely to make people chance not phoning them at all, until it really is too late.
Same with the RLNI and people on lilos or who have clambered around the coast and been caught out.2014 D4 XS
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11th Feb 2020 7:28 pm
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
Maybe I should have put it more succinctly.
Volunteers risking their lives for what? Saving the lives of idiots with no regard for their own or others safety, who somehow think it’s okay to go up Ben Nevis in Trainers, no equipment ...... I mean come on, even the leader of the LMR was far from impressed with them!
There comes a point where a line should be drawn and I think these individuals reached it. Volunteers have family, children they want to see again. A judgement call is required if conditions are so serious that the team members are put in jeopardy.
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