A 12-year-old girl out walking with her mother was airlifted from a Highland mountain in sub-zero temperatures after she suffered a knee injury as part of a double rescue.
The pair, who are not from the area, were on the 3,353 ft high Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe when the youngster slipped and dislocated her knee.
Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team were sent after the alarm was raised around 4.35pm on Sunday.
The Inverness-based HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter had just gone to rescue a fallen walker with an ankle injury at Beinn Pharlagain, near Rannoch Station when it was called to Buachaille Etive Mor to rescue the pair.
A coastguard spokesman said: “As darkness and temperatures were falling, the helicopter went straight to the second casualty, with the first casualty still on board as he did not require immediate hospitalisation.
“After a short search the young girl was located in a tight gully, some 2,500ft up the mountain. The helicopter was first on scene and the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team arrived shortly afterwards. They winched the young girl on board and then the two casualties were taken to Torlundy, where they were met by two ambulances for onward transfer to Belford Hospital, Fort William.”
Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team leader Andy Nelson said yesterday that he had been in contact with the pair and that the daughter was recovering well.
Depute rescue team leader, Lewis Harrop, led volunteers up the mountain on Sunday after receiving the emergency call from police, who were contacted by the mother from the mountain.
Mr Harrop contacted the coastguard and the helicopter was diverted towards the mountain.
Mr Nelson said the mother and daughter had been higher up when the accident happened but managed to “hobble down” to Coire na tulaich at about 2,500ft.
He added: “It would have been about -3C or -4C at that altitude.
“I would not judge on a decision to be up there but would certainly applaud them to be out on the hills, and thoroughly applaud parents who take their kids into mountains. Sometimes small accidents happen and that’s what we are there for.”
