Incident
60 in 2002
Type
Location
Corridor Route, Scafell Pike
Other Agencies
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Keswick MRT called in Wasdale MRT to assist in a search for two missing walkers. The male and female walker had failed to turn up at their hotel and their car was still parked at Seathwaite. A number of SARDA search dogs and handlers were mobilised along with the Keswick and Wasdale teams. By chance, two walkers closely fitting the description of the missing persons had been spotted by two Wasdale MRT at 1630 hrs., looking unsure of their location and heading up Lingmel which was unusual at that time of night with darkness falling.

A search of the main footpaths that night in very wet and extremely windy conditions failed to find anyone. The teams were stood down at 0530 hrs with a restart planned for first light. At 0800 hrs the following morning team members were recalled (with a shower, some food and an hours sleep) and the search recommenced supplemented with additional manpower. Keswick MRT, Penrith MRT, RAF Leeming MRT, Wasdale MRT, Millom FSRT, Furness MRT and the arrival of a Sea King Helicopter from RAF Boulmer.

The missing persons were found safe and well at around 1130 hrs. still lost in the corridor route area. They were spotted by members of the Millom team who had been tasked to do a line search on the Northern flanks and crags of Lingmel. Members of the Wasdale team climbed the fellside to their location and once checked over, were airlifted back down to the Wasdale Head Hotel, tired and chilled but otherwise OK. They were transported by Wasdale MRT back to their car at Seathwaite.

[Postscript: From speaking with the missing walkers after the event, it’s believed that they followed the dry-stone wall on Lingmel Col down to the top of Piers Ghyll where they came across the bank of snow covering the main Corridor Route. They proceeded upwards towards Broad Crag then contoured round and spent the night somewhere between there and Lambfoot Dub. They thought they might have seen lights briefly during the night but had put it down to hallucination].

Incident started at 23:21.

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