St Valentine’s night rescue on Mweelrea Mountain sees couple brought to safety

The alarm was raised at approximately 5:30pm on Saturday, February 14 when MMRT received a 999 call requesting assistance for two hikers in difficulty on a ridge below the summit of Mweelrea, Co. Mayo. The pair had set out earlier in the day to traverse the exposed ridge above the scenic Doolough Lakes.

During the hike, one of the walkers suffered a fall and injured her hip. Unable to continue and faced with worsening weather conditions and rapidly fading daylight, the couple made the decision to take shelter in their small tent and call for emergency assistance.

Rescue teams mobilised swiftly, with first responders making their way onto the mountain in deteriorating weather. After navigating challenging terrain in darkness, rescuers located the couple at approximately 10:00pm.

A stretcher party followed to the scene. Both hikers were medically assessed and treated on the mountainside before a careful evacuation was undertaken in difficult conditions. The injured woman was carried down by stretcher, while her companion was assisted on foot.

The pair were safely brought off the mountain to awaiting MMRT vehicles in the early hours of the morning. The team was stood down at 4:00am.

In a statement following the operation, MMRT wished the couple a full and speedy recovery after their ordeal, and reiterated the importance of early emergency calls when situations begin to deteriorate in mountainous terrain.