Published 13:28 IST, February 12th 2020
Mountain rescuers save 'idiots' who went on a hike without equipment amid Storm Ciara
Mountain rescuers from the Lochaber Mountain Rescue spent four hours in -20 degrees chill amid storm Ciara on the peak trying to save a poorly equipped group.
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A group of hikers has reportedly been branded 'four idiots' by the team of rescuers who risked their lives to save them from top of mountain Ben Nevis, British Isles in harsh and life-threatening conditions during the storm Ciara in the UK. The mountaineers had reportedly trapped themselves in deathly winds and icy chill temperatures that dipped to -20 degrees Celsius wearing trainers without proper equipment amid the severe storm and gutsy cold winds, as per reports.
As many as 22 rescuers from the Lochaber Mountain Rescue reportedly spent four hours in the storm like horrifying conditions on the peak trying to get the group off the mountain safely somehow. According to the reports they were rescued at 441ft height of the summit on UK Coastguard rescue helicopter as they sat stranded in the snow shivering.
Speaking about the incident to the reporters, John Stevenson, leader of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, said that the hikers were absolute ‘idiots’. They were all wearing trainers and had decided to walk up Ben Nevis instead of climbing in those harsh conditions. They were just plain stupid, he added.
Poorly equipped and shivering
John further added that the hikers’ stupidity went as far as right up there for the rescuers to risk their lives. He said that the fact that these mountaineers were just casually walking up the dangerous summit and made it down alive depicts that they are lucky. They were poorly equipped for any weather let alone the conditions on ben Nevis, he told the reporters.
He said that his team found them first, then the others and walked them down. It was so bad that the helicopter could not even fly back to Inverness, let alone up the mountain. He further added that the guys were in their 20s, based in Glasgow, didn't have a scooby, it was maddening, and they are ill from the cold.
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team's posted about the incident on their Facebook page and users were shocked to know that the guys survived out of horrendous storm and blizzard conditions during on a summit with temperature -20 degrees.
13:28 IST, February 12th 2020