Safety warning as rescue rate up

A LONG-AWAITED improvement in the weather following the rain-sodden summer seems to have unleashed a burning desire in many people to head for the hills.

The result is that more unsuspecting folk are getting into trouble in the great outdoors.

It’s been an exceptionally busy season so far for the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team which has responded to a record nine call-outs in the past five weeks.

Thankfully, there have been no fatalities, though 10 people died on the mountains nationally last year.

Rescue team spokesman Brendan Coffey yesterday said people were just anxious to get out once the weather got better.

“It seems they wanted to achieve something before they went back to school, or to work, after the holiday period. When you get fine weather, more people are certainly inclined to take to the hills,” he added.

“The nine incidents were full call-outs and involved a lot of our members, often late at night and continued into the dawn hours on a few occasions.”

Last Tuesday, a party of 16 British climbers got caught on the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, outside Killarney, darkness having crept up on them.

The Irish Mountain Rescue Association spokesman, Gerry Christie, said inexperienced mountaineers should not allow their ambition to exceed their ability.

“Conditions can rapidly worsen; a simple slip can render a hill walker immobile.

“A twisted ankle could lead to hypothermia and death. Mountains are very serious places,” he warned.