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Highland hillwalkers criticised by Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team after crying wolf over ‘hypothermia’ while camping near Scotland’s second highest mountain Ben Macdui





Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team on their trek to find the two hillwalkers.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team on their trek to find the two hillwalkers.

Two hillwalkers have been accused of “using the emergency services like a prop” after crying wolf to a mountain rescue team.

Cairngorm MRT mustered on Wednesday evening after reports that one of the hikers camping on the Cairngorm Plateau was suffering from hypothermia.

But when the rescuers – primed and ready at the Coire Cas car park – renewed contact, the message had changed.

One of the pair, who were halfway towards Ben Macdui, Scotland’s second highest mountain, complained when told it would take the MRT three hours to come and get them.

They then said they would be fine to camp overnight and walk off the mountain the next day.

But the following morning, Cairngorm MRT received a second SOS call – and had to rescue the hapless duo anyway.

Willie Anderson, deputy leader of Cairngorm MRT, described the pair as “completely out of their depth” and said their mixed messaging had risked diverting the volunteers from a more serious incident.

Mr Anderson said: “We were called out twice by the same group.

“On Tuesday night, they were camping and contacted us and saying they were a bit terrified that one of them had hypothermia.

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Cairngorm MRT minibus.
Cairngorm MRT minibus.

“Iain Comfoot, our team leader, texted to get us to the rescue base. A lot of folk mustered there and then.

“When Iain first spoke to them, he said it would be three hours before they could get to them. I think the hillwalker’s expression in reply was ‘I can’t wait that long’.

“We had to convey to them that was just how it was, unfortunately.

“They then said ‘actually the weather has improved a wee bit’ and indicated they would be fine to walk off the mountain in the morning.

“We said we could get them off the hill now if one of them had hypothermia and he said ‘no, no - I don’t want to be rescued’.

“If someone doesn’t want to be rescued, we can’t rescue them, so we left them.

“They then phoned again yesterday morning (Wednesday) at around 9.30 or 10 am and said they were a bit lost.

“Visibility wasn’t great, to be fair, so we did have to go and get them off the hill.”

Asked if there had been any remorse from the pair, Mr Anderson said: “I think, really, they were completely out of their depth and using the emergency services as a prop, almost.

“It was ‘we do need rescued, we don’t need rescued, and then, actually we do need rescued’.

“I think they missed the point that it was a bit of a waste of our time. I don’t think they really took that on board.

“Were they contrite? Not completely. One of them, the least experienced, was very quiet, to be fair, and maybe realised.

“The other one just couldn’t see the problem.”

The mountain rescue team deputy emphasised how important it was for those in genuine need or distress on the hills to make contact.

But he added: “The point the police made to them was that we might have been taken away from something far more urgent and serious.”


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