COASTGUARDS FROM RHUM AND SKYE RESCUE INJURED WALKER

At 9:30pm on Saturday, the coastguard rescue helicopter from Stornoway was sent to rescue a lady who had collapsed and was struggling to remain conscious on the Isle of Rhum.

Unfortunately, when the rescue helicopter reached the island, the weather had closed in and the cloud cover was too low to fly in to locate the casualty. The Rhum Coastguard Rescue Team started to walk in to the lady’s position while the rescue helicopter returned to Skye to refuel and to collect the Portree Coastguard Rescue Team to help with the evacuation of the lady.

Rhum and Portree Coastguards made their way to the injured lady on foot and found her conscious but very cold and unable to walk. They made her comfortable and placed her in a stretcher ready for extraction. Carrying the stretcher through Harris Glen towards the coast, they were able to get the lady to a location suitable for the rescue helicopter to fly to meet them as the weather lifted. The casualty was then transported to Hospital in Broadford.

The coastguard rescue helicopter from Stornoway had already been to four different incidents involving injured walkers on Saturday in Skye, Kintail and Crianlarich. 

Carol Collins, Stornoway Coastguard Watch Manager says,

“With so many people enjoying a chance to get out walking over the bank holiday weekend our advice for walkers is to be prepared.  Make sure you are properly equipped for walking along coastal paths. Wear sturdy shoes or boots and check the weather forecast before you set out.  Do not attempt to climb up or down cliffs unless you are properly equipped and trained.  Do not try to climb cliffs as a short cut back to the top.  Do not attempt self rescue, if you get into difficulty, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.

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