07/08/08 Location: Striding Edge, Helvellyn
On Thursday 7th August 2008 at 12.45 Patterdale Mountain rescue Team were called by Cumbria Police to a 44 year old male from West Cumbria who had fallen from Striding Edge just prior to the final ascent to the summit of Helvellyn. He had fallen about 15 meters toward Red Tarn. The team was flown as close as possible by the ‘Pride of Cumbria’ Air ambulance. The weather was deteriorating rapidly and the cloud made flying conditions difficult.
After the casualty had been examined and stabilised by the team doctor and paramedics he was lowered on the stretcher to Red Tarn and carried to a point where the Air Ambulance had been able to land about 2 kilometres away. He was the transferred to the helicopter and flown to The Cumberland Infirmary for further examination and treatment. The weather conditions meant that the evacuation was difficult and long some 5 hours in total. A total of 15 team members attended.