"English Climber
Stretchered to Safety from the Reeks"
Cork Examiner, 23/2/90.
An English climber, suffering from exposue, was stretchered to
safety from the MacGillycuddy Reeks by the K Mountain Rescue Team
early yesterday. The mercy mission was undertaken in the hours
of darkness and was made hazardous by gale force winds. There
were fears that the man would have died if he was forced to remain
on the bitterly cold mountains for too long.
The climber, Richard Morgan, in his forties and from Yorkshire,
was removed by ambulance to Tralee General Hospital where he is
expected to remain for a few days. He had spent all of Wednesday
on the Reeks with an English companion, also in his forties. As
evening approached he showed symptoms of hypothermia, or exposure,
and was unable to go any further.
His companion, having ensured that Mr. Morgan was warmly clothed,
then descended from a height of 2,300 feet to summon help. Both
were experienced climbers and were adequately dressed for the
terrain. The 12-member rescue team, led by Louis O'Toole and accompanied
by Sgt. Jack McGrath, Killarney, set off up the mountain late
on Wednesday night, and it took four hours to bring Mr. Morgan
to the home of Mr. Michael Leane, Beaufort, at the base of the
mountain.
The stretcher had to be carefully lowered down four steep ridges
and a team member, Carmel Cremin, sustained a forehead injury
after being blown against a rock by the gales.
