An injured hiker was airlifted to safety following a long overnight rescue in the Bluestack Mountains.
The 12-hour mission began at 9.15pm yesterday evening, when Donegal Mountain Rescue volunteers were tasked by An Garda Siochana to assist a man who was experiencing severe difficulty in the Bluestack Mountains.
On route, the team were notified that the Rescue 118 helicopter crew were on the scene but were unable to extract the casualty. DMRT tasked Sligo-Leitrim MRT to assist.
Donegal MRT departed their vehicles at the rendezvous point and, after an extremely difficult hike due to weather and terrain, located the casualty at 1:20am.
After assessing the casualty, they concluded that extraction from that location would not be possible at that time and so, after communication with Malin Head Coast Guard and further assessment of the casualty, it was decided that the team would stay on the hill until a safer time. The Sligo-Leitrim volunteers were stood down at approx 2am.
Communications continued with Malin Head Coast Guard throughout the night regarding the casualty’s condition.
Rescue 118 successfully reached their location at 5am and at approximately 07:30, the casualty was safely airlifted.
DMRT returned to base and the team stood down at 08:47am this morning.
A spokesperson said: “Our sincerest thanks to Sligo-Leitrim MRT, to the Coastguard, An Garda Siochana and Rescue 118 for their help and tremendous work last night.
“Thank you to you all for your well wishes and kind words, as always. It was a difficult night for the team but a positive outcome.”