Great Rigg, Fairfield (122)

Callout Date: 30/10/2024
Callout Time: 7:35 am
Agencies Involved: Keswick MRT, Langdale Ambleside MRT, Coniston MRT, Penrith MRT, Cockermouth MRT, Patterdale MRT, Killin MRT, Kirby Steven MRT, Coast Guard R199, GNAAS Helimed 58

A woman reported her partner was overdue from a speed flying (paragliding) outing. An initial hasty search was organised, followed by a more prolonged and complex search involving LAMRT team members, search dogs, and a Coastguard helicopter. This was unsuccessful, and ended around 2am. A further search was planned and implemented at first light, involving team members from multiple other Lake District MRTs, and search dogs from the Lakes, England and Southern Scotland. Keswick team were tasked with searching an area on the side of Stone Arthur/Great Rigg. Having thoroughly searched about half the area in low cloud and very poor visibility, a call was received to say the paraglider had been spotted high on the fellside by the Cockermouth team in a brief window in the mist. The man was given shelter and was treated by MRT members. The teams witnessed some very impressive low level flying from the Coast Guard whose only option was to visually follow the terrain, from a clear window in the cloud far below, up the ridge to the casualty site. The casualty was then lifted by Helicopter to a location from where he could be transferred to an air ambulance and flown to hospital.

7 Keswick team members – 6 hours 45 minutes