A woman was “lucky” to survive after spending two nights lying injured on a cold Highland mountain.
The 47-year-old was in such a remote location that there was no phone signal to raise the alarm.
However, incredibly, another walker came across her nearly 1,500ft up in Glen Nevis in Lochaber on Wednesday – and he had an emergency satellite-linked locator beacon, which relayed the alarm – believed to be via the USA – to emergency services in the UK.
‘She is a very lucky lady’
The woman had been walking on her own near 3,094ft Bidden Beag in the Mamores and it is thought she suffered a painful ankle injury.
Thirteen members of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team set out to search for the woman at around 5pm but she was instead airlifted by a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Her condition is unknown.
Andy Nelson, team leader of Glencoe MRT, said: “She is a very lucky lady. We understand that she had survived for two days. She must have had some form of shelter because it has been very cold and wet.
“She was about 1,476ft up in a very remote spot where you have to be a committed walker. There was no phone signal, but she was discovered by another walker who fortunately had this distress beacon that was linked by satellite.
“The helicopter crew said she was injured and cold but in good spirits. If that chap had not found her it could have been a long wait for somebody else to come along. She is very lucky.
“I would also stress that both she and the man who found her were well equipped and that is an important lesson for everybody.
“We wish the lady a speedy recovery.”
A police spokesman said: “Around 5pm on Wednesday, police were made aware of concern for a woman near to Binnein Beag and the Water of Nevis. Officers assisted the mountain rescue team in tracing the woman, who was taken to Raigmore Hospital for treatment.”
Mr Nelson said it was likely the woman had been heading or descending from Binnein Beag, which is situated at the eastern end of the Mamores range about five miles north north-east of Kinlochleven.