Seriously injured paraglider airlifted to hospital from Knockmealdown Mountains
It was one of three rescue call outs the South Eastern Mountain Rescue team were involved on the same day
A seriously injured paraglider and lost walkers were rescued from the Comeragh, Knockmealdown and Galtee mountain ranges in south Tipperary and just over the county border on Saturday.
It was a busy day for the South Eastern Mountain Rescue team.
SEMRA was first called out to rescue two female walkers lost on the Coumshingaun Loop of the Comeraghs near Kilclooney Woods.
Team members arrived at Kilclooney Woods at 3.55pm while others members arrived at Mahon Falls shortly afterwards and made their way up that side of the mountains.
They found the walkers and escorted them down off the mountain to Mahon Falls car park.
While this rescue operation was underway, SEMRA received two more call outs
In the Knockmealdowns, the team was called to assist Coastguard helicopter 117 with the rescue of a seriously injured paraglider at 4.43pm. Additional team members made their way to Bay Lough in The Vee and by 5.04pm, a local rescue team member had reached the injured man.
An off-duty doctor provided initial medical treatment to the casualty. Coast Guard R117 personnel and a National Ambulance Service (NAS) paramedic also arrived on the scene and provided further medical attention.
The casualty was placed on a stretcher and winched on board the helicopter and airlifted to hospital.
SEMRA also found a lost female walker on the Galtee Mountains on Saturday evening. SEMRA received the call out from An Garda Siochana at 5.17pm.
The first SEMRA members to arrive came across a member of the lost walker’s party, who gave directions to where the missing hiker was located. SEMRA members located the walker and directed them towards the car park. The walker made their own way down off the hill.