Latest Callout

2011 Incidences

3rd January- Missing Person-Glenties

DMRT recieved a call from the Garda Liason Officer at 19.00hrs requesting MRT assistance to locate a man in Glenties who went missing around 18.00hrs the previous day from the family home. 4 DMRT Units and a SARDA MRT Dog Unit were deployed to search the surrounding areas and river banks centered on the family home. About 140 local volunteers had also been out since early morning. The DMRT DTL and acting Incident Commander also appointed Volunteer Leaders to organize the search Volunteers to cover the different areas.

A body was then found in the River area known as the 'Headmasters Pool' by a local man around 21.30hrs.

DMRT assisted the Garda and Fire Service in the removal of the deceased out of the river and with the subsequent transport.

7th January- Missing Person-Cashelard

The Garda Liason Officer contacted DMRT at 12.45hrs to assist in a new search for Mary Boyle, a child who had went missing 30 years ago in the Cashelard area. The Team Secretary was requested to transport a elderly Dutch Clairvoyant who had worked with the family in the past to suggest search areas.

The Terrain was trackless, boggy and overgrown. An all Terrain 4x4 was used to get him close to the site and he was then assisted over the last 100 meters.

13th March-Walk Cover-Glendowen

4 Members with Charlie Vehicle covered a Gartan Trail walk on a windy wet Sunday in the Glendowan area ending at the Gartan Heritage Center.

Over 50 walkers took part in the 'Eviction Sites' walk with no injuries.

26th March-Walk Cover-Errigal

Over 40 walkers took part in a Charity event for a Tibetan School with other monies going to DMRT.

14 members, ICU and Charlie vehicle supported this event. 3 members followed the group to the top, the remaining in reserve doing Steep Ground extraction training. No injuries involved. 2 turned back safely after developing Vertigo.

29th March - Animal Rescue- Carrick

A local Farmer contacted DMRT to advise of a stuck sheep on a Mountain ledge in the Carrick area. 2 DMRT members safely got the sheep off.

16+17th April - Car Wreck Investigation

April 16th...2 French Tourists spotted a car wreck at the base of the cliffs on Slieve League. Garda called DMRT at 21.00hrs. DMRT with Spotlights and Binoculars verified that a relatively new car was involved although no casualties could be seen. Due the risk due to the dark and the many hundreds of feet drop to the car the investigation was deferred to next day.

April 17th....DMRT members were on scene at first light. The Sligo S61 Helicopter was depatched to investigate but had to be diverted to 2 people in danger of drowning in Scotland.

Due to the large distance to the car and the need for specialised equipment, the local Coastguard Cliff and Rescue Unit were tasked. The Cliff Rescue got 3 members down and confirmed no casualties and ID'd the car which proved to have been missing for a few months.

16th April - Injured Man- Ardara

When returning from the Bunglass incident Delta Team were requested to assist a young man with a dislocated shoulder when passing through Ardara.

The young man was arm strapped and a arm sling used. A HSE Ambulance then took him to casualty.

17th April - Cragfast Man - Muckish North Face

Garda were contacted by a lady who advised that her partner was stuck high on the Muckish North Face. DMRT were called out at 11.05. 2 Letterkenny DMRT members reached the casualty first. The climber had severe Vertigo and could not get up or down.

He was fed, warmed up and calmed down.

In the meantime the rest of the team were setting up rope systems from the bottom of the cliffs to get him down.

An attempt by the Sligo S61 Coastguard Helicopter to get him winched off failed due to the poor conditions and proximity of Rock towers to the casualty.

The climber was then lowered by rope through the only way down, a very steep dangerous gully full of loose rocks. The Team had to dodge a few subsequent dislodged boulders. The Climber was reunited with his

partner after almost 9 hours. This was the longest and most difficult DMRT Technical Rescue in years.

2nd May - Gorse Fire Standby - Glenties

The Team were put on standby to assist on evacuations if necessary due to severe gorse fires in the Glenties by Glenties Gardai after phone messages received from locals. The Team were not tasked and were stood at 07.00hrs.

2nd May - Missing Person -Convoy

At 22.00hrs Garda requested the Team to assist in a search for a missing young man in the Convoy area. DMRT, SARDA the Mountain Rescue Dog Unit and Rescue 118 Sligo Coastguard Helicopter joined Garda in the search. The Team were stood down at 04.45hrs. The Young Man later turned up.

11th May - Injured Walker -Slieve League

At 14.00hrs Glenties Garda requested DMRT assistance for an injured walker on Slieve League. A middle aged couple had been walking Slieve League and the Lady fell and injured her lower leg.The Couple were contacted and they were able to advise of their location. 2 Hill Parties from DMRT reached them, provided shelter and splinted the injured leg. They couple were very cold. A Hill party of the Killybegs Coastguard Cliff and Rescue joined the effort. Rescue 115 Helicopter from Shannon then also assisted. The Heli crew extracted the Husband but cloud conditions became too difficult. The combined Hill Party then carried the lady lower down below the cloud base where Rescue 115 was able to extract the Lady and take both to Sligo Hospital. The Ladies ankle had been broken in two places. The Team were stood down at 18.30hrs.

12th May - Injured Walker -Glenveagh

340 Youngsters from a Letterkenny School were on the Glenveagh Bridal Path walk when a 13 year girl injured her ankle. DMRT were requested for assistance at 11.02 hours. The Glenveagh/DMRT preplan swung into action and the head Glennveagh Ranger and a Glenveagh Staff member of DMRT responded.

The Head Ranger reached the girl by jeep and the Team were stood down at 11.19hrs.

The girl was transported to Letterkenny A&E where a severe sprain was diagnosed.

16th May - Trapped Animal -Glenties

DMRT received a request assist a local farmer whose sheep were cut off due tho the raising water. The Deputy Team Leader kayaked out to the sheep and led to them to safety .

4th June -Gael Force Event Cover - Errigal

DMRT provided rescue cover on Errigal for the large Gael Force race. Over 500 competitors participated.

2 minor injuries were treated on the day.

18th June -Bluestack Challenge event cover - Bluestacks

DMRT provided rescue cover on the big Bluestack Challenge event across the Bluestacks to the Plane Crash site.

Over 400 walkers attended in 5 groups. DMRT had members in 3 out of the 5 groups, 2 five man parties and two control centers to cover the large area and large numbers. 2 injuries were treated and extracted through Quad and jeep.

27th June -Missing Person Standby - Gweedore

Glenties Garda requested assistance in locating a 14 yr old girl from Gweedore who was last seen walking into the hill at 11.00hrs after a family argument. Heli 118 was going to be tasked by the Garda. At 12.30hrs a girl had been sighted walking on the road to Falcarragh and at 13.00 the girl is located safe and well. Team stood down.

7th July -Injured Climber - Errigal

A call came from a mother of a Teenager who fell on Errigal coming down and hurt his back. Due to the back injury a full Team call out and the Sligo S61 Coastguard helicopter were dispatched. The casualty was airlifted to hospital. The back injury Injuries were found not to be serious and the Teenager was treated for abrasions and released.

18th to 24th July-Missing Swimmer- Rathmullen

As part of the Community effort DMRT helped search for a missing swimmer who went missing off Rathmullen Pier on the 18th July..

DMRT Teams searched for 7 consecutive days over the more remote parts of Cliff and Coast until they were stood down when the young man was found and returned to his family.

31st July-Reek Sunday Cover - Croagh Patrick, Mayo

6 DMRT members joined the SEMRA Team to cover the annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage. Weather was poor but casualty numbers were low with one lower leg injury and one case of Verigo. Helicopter cover was confined to the lower slopes due to the bad weather.

4th August-Lost Climbers - Muckish

A couple rang 999 to advise they were lost on top of Muckish in bad weather conditions. They had climbed the Miners Track in summer clothing but the weather had closed in and they were very cold and wet. The nearest DMRT Responders made up a Hasty Team and found the couple and their dog at the Cairn. They were given warm clothes and warm liquid and were escorted down.No HSE support was required.

10th August-Lost Walkers - Muckish

Garda called DMRT to advise that a member of the public had expressed concern regarding a family who had climbed to the top of Muckish. The Team were put on Standby but the Family showed up and the Team were stood down within minutes.

22nd August-Animal Rescue - Aranmore

Team put on standby for 3 goats stranded on a high sea ledge on Aranmore. The goats jumped into the sea before any rescue attempt was made.

25th August-Animal Rescue - Muff

The Team were put on standby for a Missing SARDA Mountain Rescue search dog that went missing during exercises in Muff.

A farmer found the dog, contacted SARDA and the team were stood down.

18th to 21st September - missing American Tourist- Glencolmcille

In what proved to be one of the biggest searches in Donegal in years DMRT were called out for a American Tourist, Kelly Jones, who went missing from her Hostel in Malin More on 17th Saturday. She was last seen walking north towards Glen Head on Saturday at 17.30hrs.The Team were called out on 18th Sunday at 14.30hrs and the search continued to she was found in a empty house near Glencolmcille at 12.30hrs on Wednesday 21st.

The Team were training with Rescue 118 Sligo Coastguard helicopter when the call came through on Sunday. Rescue 118 dropped a DMRT team onto Slieve League for the initial search. Over the following days the Team covered a massive area from Port to Slieve League in the search. Joining this major effort were local Garda, Killybegs Coatsguard, SLMRT, Sliabh Laig Walkers and many local Volunteers. DMRT assisted in the extraction of Kelly Jones to Rescue 118 to take her to Sligo hospital. She was confused, distressed and hypothermic. Garda are now investigation her movements over this period.

DMRT and all the Volunteers groups were elated that she was found alive and we wish her a speedy recovery.

1st October - missing German Tourist- Slieve League

The Team were called out at 21.44hrs to Bunglass on Slieve League. A Young German female had gone missing in the dark.

Her partner raised the alarm when she did not appear at Bunglass car park after a planned walk on the Pilgrims Path.

DMRT, SLMRT, Killybegs Cliff and Recsue and Garda joined forces in the search with around 40 people involved.

A unit of the Coast guard were alerted by the light from the Tourist's Mobile phone used to draw the searchers attention and found the young woman wet, cold, upset but otherwise safe. She had got lost when darkness come when trying to reach the car park.

The couple were reunited around 01.30 hrs and they team got back home around 03.00hrs.

30th October - missing Bus Driver- Slieve League

Phone calls were received around 16.00hrs from Letterkenny and Glenties Garda Stations that a man was lost on Slieve League. It was established that the lost person was the bus driver of a bus load of hikers from Kilkenny who came for the day to climb Slieve League. It was also established that everyone else in the bus was accounted for and sitting in a local pub. A full team call out ensued.

The driver was carrying a phone and he was contacted. He was in his fifties, fit and an experienced walker who had decided to walk to the summit of Slieve League on his own after the bus load of hikers departed. The weather changed and he missed the summit and got lost. He left Bunglas carpark at 12pm and it was now after 5pm. He was able to say that the the sea was on his left and he was a good bit away from Bunglas carpark and heading for Malinbeg.
A call was made to Malin CG to task the helicopter in the search who were training in the area. Malin also tasked the Killbegs CG unit.

29th November - missing person standby- Dunloe

A call was received at 00:12hrs regarding a missing person in Dungloe. The man had fallen and hit his head a few days prior.

He left his residence in Dungloe at 5.30pm with €30 in his pocket and had not returned. Nobody had seen him afterwards despite Garda checks.

No defined search area existed so a general sweep search was planned for first light next day. Conditions were very poor with torrential rain. The man was subsequently located safe and well although cold and wet in Dunloe. The team were stood down at 06.45am so there was no need to issue a full team call-out.

3rd December - missing person standby- Dunlewy

A call was received at 20.00hrs from Letterkenny Gardaí stating that a caller had reported a car parked in Dunlewy for some time. The owner was walking in the Poison Glen area and had not returned. A mobile number for the owner of the car was provided by Gardaí. On ringing the car owner she confirmed that she was not lost but in the area hiking and camping with friends until Tuesday pm. The team were stood down from the standby.