A major rescue operation involving 53 people was launched in the Peak District after a man fell into difficulty at Near Black Clough, near Crowden, on Saturday evening, July 4. Four mountain rescue teams, an air ambulance, and a Coastguard helicopter from North Wales were scrambled to the scene.
Initial Response and Search
Glossop Mountain Rescue Team received the call at around 5:30pm, but the casualty was not at the initial given location. Paramedics and the team conducted a swift search and found the man within minutes in a 'somewhat inaccessible area' of Near Black Clough. An air ambulance was already attending.
Due to low numbers, Glossop called upon neighbouring Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team, but they had just finished a callout and could only provide a few extra people. The air ambulance paramedics agreed that winching was the best option, so a Coastguard helicopter was dispatched from Caernarfon.
Challenges and Additional Support
Upon arrival, the Coastguard crew determined that winching was unsafe due to darkness, deteriorating weather, and the terrain. Both helicopters departed. Given the casualty's injuries, the distance, and the challenging terrain, Kinder and Oldham Mountain Rescue Teams were called, along with a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
Glossop team members forged across the moorland while other teams set up a relay system to bring more personnel and equipment to the hill. The casualty was carried off the hill in arduous conditions and transferred to a land ambulance.
Operation Conclusion
The entire operation lasted around seven hours, ending at about half-past midnight on Sunday. A spokesperson for Glossop Mountain Rescue Team said: 'Having been called at about 5:30pm to a fallen male at a local beauty spot, the rescue turned into something a little more challenging... As Glossop forges their way across the moorland, the other teams set up a relay system to get more team members onto the hill, and slowly but surely as more fresh legs and muscle arrived, the journey to our waiting 4x4 ambulance sped up.' The team stood down after restocking and drying equipment, wishing the casualty a speedy recovery.
