Two missing climbers have been taken to hospital in the Republic of Ireland after being found by British mountain rescue teams assisted by a RAF Search and Rescue helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey in North Wales.

Rarely seen arctic weather conditions hit the Republic of Ireland leading to an increase in demands for search and rescue services. One such incident in the Wicklow Mountains led to a request for RAF search and rescue helicopters and two British mountain rescue teams which have been sent across the Irish Sea to assist the Irish Coast Guard and Guardai (Irish Police) find two snowboarders lost overnight in the Wicklow Mountains.

The climbers have been missing overnight in arctic conditions on Lugnaquilla mountain near LOGHNACOLIGH but have been in mobile phone contact with the Irish Coast Guard who have a helicopter on scene. Both the RAF Valley and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Teams have been flown to the area in RAF and Irish Coastguard helicopters.

The aircraft airlifted the joint, twenty-man strong team to the Irish military airfield at BALDONELL. From there they were conveyed to the search area by Irish military road transport as bad weather is restricting aircraft movement in the Wicklow Mountains due to cloud which covered the mountains’ peaks, reducing visibility to zero. Several Irish mountain rescue teams were involved in the search which was coordinated by the Gardai (Irish Police).

Mutual cross border assistance and rescue missions are written into international search and rescue agreements of which both the UK and the Republic of Ireland are signatories.

During the last 12 months the Irish Coastguard has provided reciprocal assistance to UK search and rescue operations during periods of high demand.
Photograph: Corporal Steve Bain and SAC Dave Rose, RAF SAR FORCE HQ.

Source: RAF