A group of 70 British army cadets and instructors were rescued in an operation involving three coastguard helicopters after getting into difficulty on a mountain in Co Down yesterday.
Poor weather conditions in the Mourne Mountains endangered the troop from the Cleveland Army Cadet Force in Middlesbrough, northern England, during a training exercise.
Children as young as 12 were among those rescued. Five suffered ankle injuries after slipping on wet rocks and some were treated for the effects of exposure, the British Ministry of Defence said.
The group comprised 63 cadets and seven instructors. They were attending their annual camp for adventure training and cultural visits in Northern Ireland.
“We can confirm that all army cadets caught in today’s inclement weather on the Mourne Mountains are safe and accounted for,” a spokesman said.
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The Mournes, a range south of Belfast, are extremely popular with walkers but conditions can be unpredictable.
Emergency services were called to the Annalong Valley at about midday to assist the group. Coastguard, ambulance and helicopter crews attended and medical staff were required to treat some of the children on the mountain. A Mourne Mountain Rescue spokesman said it was not a serious incident but that the weather had caught them by surprise.
“Everything is under control and within normal team procedure,” he said.
Paramedics said that 16 people had hypothermia. The ambulance service declared a major incident at 1.20pm.
The rescue operation included ten accident and emergency teams and a hazardous area response team. A base was established in the Annalong community hall to help the injured.
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Newcastle, Bangor and Kilkeel coastguard and the UK coastguard search and rescue helicopters, based at Caernarfon and Prestwick, attended. The Irish coastguard Rescue 116 helicopter, Mourne Mountain Rescue, the PSNI and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service also provided support.
The Ministry of Defence spokesman said that the cadets were “exceptionally grateful for their assistance”.
Nigel Ruddell, assistant medical director for the ambulance service, told BBC News that he declared a major incident once he realised that a large number of teenagers were involved.
“We have been able to manage thanks to pool-working by all the emergency services,” he said last night.
“At this stage, there are no reports of anybody with serious or life-threatening injuries. The injuries seem to be fairly minor and the young people seem in good spirits.”
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Dr Ruddell said that conditions on the mountain had been very difficult and that the group leaders had done a good job in protecting the teenagers.