Four people were rescued from Benbulbin on Co Sligo yesterday after becoming disorientated on the mountain.
The Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team (SLMRT) was tasked by An Garda Síochána yesterday afternoon to assist the four hikers who had become disoriented on the north Sligo mountain.
The Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 was also deployed to the scene. However, a combination of low cloud and poor visibility meant the helicopter was unable to reach the location of the casualties.
As weather conditions continued to deteriorate, with heavy rain and gusting wind a concern for the casualties, R118 transported several mountain rescue responders from the roadside at Cashelgarron to the valley at Luke's Bridge.
The responders then continued on foot to the location of the casualties, not far from the summit of the mountain, while the helicopter remained on scene just below the cloud base.
A spokesperson for the SLMRT told RTÉ News that the four individuals, who are not from the Sligo area and had travelled to Sligo earlier in the day, were located by the responders at around 4pm and assessed.
"All four casualties were deemed to have onset hypothermic [symptoms], prompting the Mountain Rescue responders to set up an emergency shelter to get them warmed enough to be able to walk off the mountain.
"The team responders then escorted the casualties down the hill and handed them over to the waiting Coast Guard crew for further assessment and treatment. The team stood down at 4:45pm," the spokesperson added.
In its statement, SLMRT reminded members of the public to always check the weather forecast before ascending mountains as "conditions can deteriorate much faster and to a worse degree than in lowland areas".
They advised hikers to wear appropriate clothing and footwear and to ensure adequate food and water is brought.
