Fallen climber with 'severe injuries' stretchered off mountain in huge rescue operation

A fallen climber, who suffered multiple severe injuries, was stretchered off a Highland mountain in a “significant technical rescue”.

The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team was alerted to the incident in the Sword of Gideon area on Bealach na Bà on Tuesday afternoon.

A coastguard helicopter was deployed to the scene but upon arrival, it was established that due to the location of the incident, teams were unable to winch the casualty safely.

Due to the technical difficulty of the rescue operation, the team made numerous shuttles with equipment to the top of the ridge and built a rigging system to lower a stretcher, medical kit, a remote rescue medical technician and additional stretcher attendant to the area.

After reaching the casualty, the team stabilised and assessed a number of injuries. The climber was stretchered down 200m.

The climber was then taken to hospital.

A post from Torridon Mountain Rescue Team read: “Descending carefully through loose, broken ground, we reached the casualty, where the experienced and well-equipped climbing partners had done an excellent job of keeping the casualty safe until we arrived.

“Assessing and stabilising the multiple severe injuries, we then immobilised and packaged him into the stretcher for onward descent.

“After a total lower of 200m, we handed over the casualty for onward travel to hospital.

“A huge thank you to the crew of Coastguard helicopter R151 for their assistance on this rescue. We wish the casualty the best with their recovery.”