Woman rescued overnight after fall on Mount Brandon

Anne Lucey

A woman is recovering in hospital after an overnight rescue operation on Wednesday from the eastern side of Mount Brandon where she had been walking alone.

The West Kerry call out was the second call out of the day for the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team. Earlier on Wednesday night, at around 8.30 pm, the team went to the assistance of an English lady who suffered a leg injury in a remote area between the Black and Bríde valleys in the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks near Killarney.

Then at around 10 pm the emergency rescue services, coordinated by the Gardaí, were called to assist a woman on Mount Brandon.

The woman who is in her 40s had been on her way down the mountain when she strayed onto a ledge.

Dingle Coast Guard went to the scene and brought her from what one of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team described as “a very precipitous area”.

Gardaí as well as the Shannon Rescue helicopter, and the two rescue teams succeed in bringing the woman down the mountain at around 6 am this morning.

Hypothermia

Suffering from hypothermia, after her ordeal, was brought to University Hospital Kerry this morning where she is recovering.

An experienced walker, she had somehow strayed onto steep terrain, but was able to summon the services by mobile phone. A well charged battery meant she was also able to remain in contact with rescuers until they reached her in the early hours.

Frank Heidke of Dingle Coast Guard said there is not mobile phone reception everywhere on Mount Brandon.

High numbers are on the mountains this summer, Gerry Christie of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team said. Mr Christie who took part in the night-long rescue on Brandon.

Last August Kerry Mountain Rescue attended sixteen full callouts in as many days. Yesterday necessitated two full team call outs.