Take care on the hills, in the water,
on the roads, and in the skies!
5 May 2007 Ogwen
Valley Mountain Rescue
An injured paraglider has been airlifted to hospital after making a heavy
landing in Snowdonia. A rescue helicopter from RAF Valley took the casualty
to hospital in Bangor. An RAF Seaking helicopter from Valley on Anglesey
22 Sqd. had dropped their winchman to deal with a paraglider who had been
found with lower back pains on the slopes above Dyffryn Mymber. They called
Oggi Base as they were approaching over Capel Curig asking for any troops
to assist. With 30 seconds notice before they touched down at base three
members were flown to the site and assisted the winchman in packaging
the fallen paraglider for transportation to hospital. Casualty complained
of lower back pains, had bitten his tongue and was suffering from amnesia.
26 April 2007 Eryl Jones-Williams
Daily Post
An inquest in Dolgellau on the 25 April 2007 heard the
Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones return a verdict of accidental death in the
case of 6 year old Callum Andrew Jones from Coedpoeth near Wrexham. Callum
died after getting into difficulties in the sea off Barmouth in Gwynedd
on Monday 24 July 2006. Callum had been playing with his eight year old
cousin on their new polystyrene body boards.
The coroner said "Unfortunately there are tragedies
involving children drowning every year off beaches in this area. Many
instances involve an offshore wind and inflatables. I believe that the
children were blown out to sea on their polystyrene body boards and got
into dificulties while they were trying to get back to shore."
17 December 2006, Eryl Crump.
Daily Post
A 19 year old farm worker visiting the Royal Welsh Show
in Builth Wells in July 2006 drowned while swimming in the River Wye.
It was one of the hottest days of the year and the youth went with his
friends to cool down in the river. The inquest into his death was told
that the youth, who was not a strong swimmer, got into difficulties after
attempting to swim to some rocks. Several friends swam to his aid and
tried desperately to pull him to safety. But in spite of their brave efforts
he disappeared below the water. His body was found by divers and he was
pronounced dead at hospital.
Importantly the Powys coroner Geraint Williams stated:
I will not go down the "nanny state road" and criticise the
boy and his friends for swimming in the river.
He recorded a verdict of accidental death and commended the heroic efforts
of his friends to save him. Adding "There is no indication of
reckless behaviour at all. It has to be one of the joys of being alive
that you can swim in one of our rivers on one of the hottest days of the
year"
22 November 2006,
A 20 year old youth drowned in Llyn Gwynant in July 2006
at the foot of Snowdon. Llyn (Lake) Gwynant is one of the most beautiful
lakes in Snowdonia. It is a perfect setting for camping, indeed I camped
there many years ago with my then young family.
However, as we learnt the hard way, the weather can change
in just a few short hours. We left the camp site for a day trip to the
coast in perfect conditions, yet when we returned 6 hours later we were
met with a scene of devastation. We were lucky to escape with our belongings
as a storm on the mountain had caused the river to flood the camp site
on the banks of the Llyn Gwynant.
But this was nothing compared to the terrible tragedy
that occurred this July 2006. The young man from Manchester, who was a
strong swimmer had set out with his friends at 10.00.a.m. to swim to a
rock set in the lake. However he got into difficulties in the deep cold
water and drowned.
The coroner stated that "the lakes and rivers in
this part of the country can be very cold even in the height of the summer".
The pathologist pointed out that the body can go into shock when there
is a sudden drop in temperature.
Two brothers aged 14 and 16 yrs were drowned on a beach last August
while holidaying with their family in Llandanwg in West Wales. The inquest
was held in Pwllheli on 27th April 2006.
It is a very sad story that will make all parents think twice about their
child's safety on the beaches. I don't like to put visitors off from coming
to Wales but I think this tragic case should be told. What is so worrying
is that both boys were "competent swimmers", they were only
paddling up to their waists, the sea was extremely calm, almost no waves,
and hardly any wind. Yet, as their elder brother stated at the inquest,
after half an hour one of the boys started to shout he was in trouble
and the elder brother moved towards him, but the sand just gave way under
his feet and then the water was over his head. There was also a strong
undercurrent that was sucking them under. The elder brother was able to
recover his foothold but by this time the two younger brothers had disappeared.
One child was found after 25 minutes but died in hospital. The other brother's
body was found the following day.
It seems the conditions were what could only be described as perfectly
safe, and yet the two boys died, showing just how dangerous strange beaches
can be.
The beach is part of the estuary where the river Artro enters
Cardigan Bay, and that the river may have created an under water gully
into which the boys had fallen, and the strong current was caused by the
tide turning.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death. Gwynedd Council Maritime
officer stated that the beach in question complied with all the necessary
criteria and that the public should be aware of the tides and local weather
conditions.
RNLI lifeboats were launched a record 1,154 times during 2005 rescuing
1049 people off the Welsh Coast. In 2005 there were 14 deaths on the coast
between Aberdyfi in the south and Prestatyn in the east.
Daily Post, 24th April 2006
A 35yr old motorcyclist was killed on the Padog bend near
Pentrefoelas, Conwy on Sunday the 23rd April. The rider a 35 year old
male had come off his motor cycle and hit a barrier by the side of the
road.
David Greenwood, Daily Post, 24th April 2006
A 29yr old hill walker plunged hundreds of feet to his death, and three
of his friends - who were lost in low thick cloud and mist - were led
to safety as rescue teams in Snowdonia were kept busy over the weekend.
The dead man is from Erdington, Birmingham, and the other walkers are
also believed to be from the Birmingham area. Due to the conditions it
took seven hours to find the party after the initial alert. According
to one of the dead man's companions he may have slipped on moss.
13th April 2006
A 9 year old girl has drowned after a tragic canoeing accident. The girl
was canoeing with her father and sister in the river at Glasbury near
Hay on Wye on Wednesday the 12th April. The family were believed to be
wearing buoyancy aids. The father and sister were taken to hospital suffering
from hypothermia.
Daily Post March 28 2006
Rescuers trying to rescue a man on the Glyderau mountains in Snowdonia
faced winds up to 100 mph The winds were so strong that they threw one
of the rescuers over the top of another rescuer, Ogwen Valley rescue team
reported. The rescue team were called out on Sunday evening to rescue
a 52 year old man from Colchester who was in difficulties because of the
wind. He was eventually rescued at 3.a.m. on Monday morning.
In another rescue Llanberis rescue Team rescued a man lost on the Watkin
Path Snowdon on Monday 27 th March 2006
Daily Post Feb 24th 2006.
Eryl Crump and M Bagnall
Three young girls were plucked to safety from freezing Snowdon. RAF Valley
22 Squadron Sea King helicopter closed in on the stricken group on Wednesday
evening.
Three girls aged two, three and five, were taken up Snowdon by two couples
from Liverpool in arctic conditions. The adults were later joined by two
students. The wind chill factor was measured at -19C. It was so cold the
two-year-old fell unconscious. It was feared the three youngsters were
just minutes from death. Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team was also involved
in the operation to get them to safety.
Rescuers slammed the couples for taking the children up Snowdon in such
terrible conditions.
The group that got itself into all sorts of trouble this week was reckless
about their own safety and that of their children. Had it not been for
the skills of mountain rescue volunteers and the RAF we would have seen
fatalities. "At this time of year, climbing our highest peaks requires
winter mountaineering skills rather than simply a pair of boots and a
waterproof jacket. "Without an ice axe and crampons, and the ability
to use them, the likes of Snowdon are a potential death trap for the ill-equipped."
The families had walked up Snowdon with the intention of catching the
Snowdon Railway Train for the return journey. However the train does not
run to the top of Snowdon in such bad conditions, and the group were left
stranded with the weather closing in on them.
