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Several people rescued from 'seriously inaccessible ground' on Carrantuohill

The callout, which involved 26 members, concluded successfully at 1:15am
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

17.20 9 Mar 2023


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Several people rescued from 's...

Several people rescued from 'seriously inaccessible ground' on Carrantuohill

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

17.20 9 Mar 2023


Share this article


Several people have been rescued from Carrantuohill in Co Kerry following an overnight operation.

Six people became stuck on the Eastern Reeks on Wednesday afternoon, including one woman who had fallen.

The alarm was raised at around 4.15pm with Valentia Coastguard and Kerry Mountain Rescue Team sent to the scene.

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The callout, which involved 26 members, concluded successfully at 1:15am.

Gerry Christie, who is a veteran member of Kerry Mountain Rescue, told The Hard Shoulder the operation was difficult but not impossible.

"What actually quickly became apparent was that the lady was one of a party of six," he said.

"She had taken a fall... she was able to walk off the mountain; but the other five people witnessed her fall.

"They were perched on precarious ledges in seriously inaccessible ground.

"I think they had made a minor navigational error".

'Every metre was needed'

Mr Christie said the people had to be brought up the mountain, before they could be safely taken back down.

"To take them down was going to be more dangerous than to actually take them back up the 200 metres on that gully.

"We have ropes that are 200 metres long, and every metre was needed to safely get them up to the top of The Bone one at a time.

"We got them to climb up while they're hitched to a rope... and there's no slack on the rope so if you slip, the rope is going to stop you going any further."

He said the people were well-equipped and well-dressed.

"They're slowly taken up the mountain and then they're walked off," he said.

"They were well-equipped, they had lots of layers on - they were dressed for people to spend time in the outdoors.

"They were all happy, you know that mixture of when people are rescued - it's a mixture of happiness, gratitude and bashfulness".

Mr Christie has this advice for people thinking of heading for the hills: "Don't let your enthusiasm outstrip your experience".

Main image: Ireland's highest mountain range, Carrauntoohil, covered in winter snow. Picture by: Michael Diggin / Alamy Stock Photo

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Carrantuohill Eastern Reeks Gerry Christie Kerry Kerry Mountain Rescue The Bone The Hard Shoulder Valentia Coastguard

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