Teen girls get lost in Mournes

Teen girls get lost in Mournes

8 July 2015

A GROUP of teenage girls got into serious difficulties in the Mourne Mountains on Monday afternoon after losing their way in bad weather.

The 16 and 17 year-olds, who were part of a Girls’ Brigade group, became hypothermic after getting lost in heavy rain and thick clouds during a camping trip.

The alarm was raised by one of the girls who made a 999 call before being disconnected. 

Police launched the rescue operation after being unable to re-establish contact with the phone, which they had traced to the camping group.

PSNI search and rescue specialists, Mourne Mountain Rescue volunteers and an Irish Coastguard helicopter were tasked to the scene while paramedics were on hand when the girls were taken off the mountain.

Two of the girls were suffering the effects of extreme cold and one was taken to a nearby hospital before the entire team was reunited with their parents.

Jeremy Purdy of Mourne Mountain Rescue said they were alerted that the teenagers were missing in the Trassey Track area about five miles from Newcastle.

“We located two of the girls on the way up the track and they were brought down,” he said.

“The other five teenagers were found sheltering in a tent near the Blue Lough.”

Mr Purdy said that “after a bit of food and water”, four of them were able to walk down from the mountain, while one of them was taken down on a stretcher and treated by paramedics before being brought to hospital.

His colleague Neville Watson said the teenagers had done all they should have in the circumstances.

“When they got into trouble they called for help, put their tents up and put warm clothing on, and they sent down two of their members to get help on a well-known route,” he said.

Police Inspector Duncan McBain has thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation.