[W]asdale Mountain Rescue Team was alerted to four separate incidents over the past weekend, all were snow and ice related and tragically the last one on Sunday at around 5.30pm ended as a fatality.
The first on Saturday was a female walker with a leg injury; Sunday brought three separate incidents, three walkers stuck on a steep snow slope and a further two incidents involving head injuries. The first, a walker falling 60m fall on the corridor route was dealt with by Keswick MRT and required evacuation by air ambulance.
The final incident occurred at around 5.30pm on Sunday where a lone walker had fallen a considerable distance down a snow slope on the south side of Mickledore ridge sustaining multiple injuries.
Wasdale MRT spokesman, Richard Warren said: “The Wasdale team responded with support from Duddon and Furness MRT and the Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick.
“This very challenging 8 hour rescue, high on the flanks of Scafell Pike with steep compacted snow and ice conditions was also undertaken at very low temperatures.
“Although every effort was made by the team and several mountaineers who found the injured lone walker, along with the best efforts of the SAR winchman on scene and helicopter crew in getting the casualty to the trauma Hospital in Newcastle, the casualty did not survive and sadly passed away in hospital.
“The team would like to offer their sincere condolences to the family of the deceased walker.
“The team also wants to express their thanks to the crew of the Coastguard helicopter which lifted a number of team members who were already high up the mountain to the scene to provide critical casualty care.
“Thanks must also go to the three mountaineers who found the injured walker, raised the alarm and kept him warm and alive until the team arrived.”