Alert in 2008

Incident

2 in 2008

Type

Alert — Injured & Medical

Location

Other Location

Other Agencies

Patterdale MRT, RAF Boulmer

Diagnosis

Multiple Injuries

Two Wasdale team members were climbing on the snow slopes between Striding Edge and Swirral Edge on Helvellyn when they saw what they believed to be a climber falling down one of the eastern gulleys of Helvellyn. They were first on scene, administered casualty care to the unconscious male who was in his early forties. He had in fact fallen from the summit, had been with a group of five walkers and possibly due to the poor visibility, walked too close to the edge which was heavily corniced with snow and fallen over.The Wasdale members called out the Patterdale Team and a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer. Other MRT personnel from Kendal, Bowland Penine, Cleveland, Penrith were also quickly on scene. Despite basic life support efforts, the walker did not survive his fall. He was airlifted to Carlisle at around 3.00 p.m. Weather conditions on the summit were poor visibility, strong wind and fresh snow falls with cloud base just below Striding Edge ridge. Freezing level was just above Red Tarn. There was still significant depths of snow above 800 metres. The man had fallen 250m. This was the second fatality within a couple of days. Recorded here as an (a) as the Wasdale team members were fully involved even though outside the Wasdale area. The team gratefully acknowledges a donation to the team by the family