Daring cliff rescue saves trapped teenage hiker

A BUSY season, so far, for the rescue services in Kerry continued on Wednesday night when a 19-year-old German was brought to safety from a dangerous ledge on Dingle Peninsula.

Brendan O’Connor, of Dingle Coast Guard, abseiled down the side of the Connor Pass, at Peddler’s Lake, to rescue the teenager, who had become trapped after losing his way while walking in the area.

The man’s mother, who had earlier raised the alarm, watched as initial attempts by the local Coast Guard team and a Coast Guard helicopter failed to reach the spot where he was stranded.

Described as a tricky operation, Mr O’Connor eventually abseiled 250 feet down the mountain to reach him on an overhanging cliff.

It was the second mountain-rescue incident in the county in 24 hours.

Kerry Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT) had brought an 82-year-old German woman, Dr Ursala Dethinger, and a 16-year-old youth to safety from Carrantuohill, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The two stayed put on the mountainside after darkness came upon them quicker than expected. They basically ran out of daylight, according to rescuers. Apart from being tired and hungry, they were said to be in good spirits and none the worse for their experience.

With the tourist season now at its peak, many extra people are hillwalking and are unprepared for emergencies that arise when things go wrong, according to KMRT.

KMRT spokesman Brendan Coffey said people should not go solo on the mountains unless they were able to navigate. They should have a map and compass and should stick to well-known paths.

“It’s also important people allow themselves plenty of time, just in case things go wrong. They should also be aware of what it’s possible to do. It’s important not to bite off more than they can chew,” he added.

“People should tell others where they’re going and what time they expect to return. They should also have warm clothing and suitable footwear as well as an ample supply of food and drinks.’ He stressed many mountainous areas did not have mobile phone coverage.

In Kerry, the Macgillycuddy Reeks is the principal area for call outs, followed by the Dingle Peninsula.

KMRT answered 20 call outs last year, two incidents less than the previous year.

Falls account for over 60% of mountain fatalities, with one in five fatalities resulting in drowning.