Two rescued in separate incidents from Ireland's highest mountain

Rescuers attended two separate incidents on Carrauntoohill yesterday. The summit of Carrauntoohill. File Picture.

Two people were rescued from Ireland's highest mountains in separate call-outs yesterday.

The first alarm was raised at around 3.50pm when Kerry Mountain Rescue Team was tasked to evacuate a female hillwalker with a lower leg injury near the base of the zig-zags on Cnoc na Toinne, just south of Carrauntoohill, in the MacGillycuddy Reeks. 

Several team members helped the casualty to Árd na Locha, where she was evacuated by jeep to Lisleibane.

Just over two hours later, the team was tasked again to an incident at the summit of Carrauntoohill after a man in his 60s had taken ill. 

Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was on scene but poor weather conditions prevented it from helping in the evacuation.

Mountain rescue members climbed to the summit, treated the casualty on scene before short-roping him down to Árd na Locha via the Devil’s Ladder. 

The casualty was then taken by jeep to a waiting ambulance at Kissane’s Cross. 

Sixteen team members were involved in the rescue operation which concluded after midnight.