Bolt from the Blue - Scotland-based Royal Navy helicopter rescues casualties from Lake District lightning strikes

They say that lightning never strikes twice…

But a Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter yesterday (Wednesday) rushed to the aid of four injured walkers in three separate lightning strikes in the Lake District!

Coincidentally, the crew of four from HMS Gannet at Prestwick in Ayrshire was already airborne, having initially been called out to a casualty with a suspected shoulder injury at Langdale in Cumbria at around 2pm.

But it was while en-route to this rescue that an afternoon of rather unusual events began to unfold.

Strike 1 Nearing the Lake District, the crew was diverted at around 3pm from its initial call to reports of a casualty reportedly struck by lightning just west of Keswick at Lad Hows in the Grasmoor area.

Arriving on scene, the helicopter touched down and was able to pick up the casualty from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

All seemed straightforward enough and they prepared to deliver the injured man into the care of the medical authorities.

Strike 2 But, they were then immediately tasked to a party of three walkers on Crag Hill, a matter of just a mile or so away from the first pick up, also reporting injuries from a lightning strike.

Two of the walkers were hurt in the strike, the third was uninjured, but the helicopter lifted all three and delivered them and the casualty from the first strike to a waiting ambulance at the Buttermere Hotel.

Strike 3 And it was at that point that the crew received it’s next tasking – this time to a party of six walkers on Whiteless Pike; again affected by a lightning strike.

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue was already in attendance at the scene where one of the six had been hurt in the strike and the Sea King picked up the casualty and delivered them to hospital.

At times flying through the storms, this was a tricky series of rescues for the crew, as lightning struck around the helicopter and they flew through torrential rain and some gusty wind.

“It really was a quite unusual afternoon,” said Lieutenant Tim Barker, the aircraft’s observer – the observer is responsible for navigation of the aircraft and relaying a constant flow of information about potential hazards and situations arising to the pilots. “The weather conditions were very tricky and each time we arrived on scene we weren’t really quite sure what we were going to find.

“Flying through the storms brings its own challenges and so it was all about applying whatever practical operational experience we’ve had during our years in helicopters, as well as all the learnt theory.

“But it all went well, even if it was a little on the scary side at times. Obviously throughout we were working in conjunction with Cockermouth and Keswick MRTs who were co-ordinating, as well as the ambulance service – so it’s all quite a team effort.”

And what of the casualty with the suspected shoulder injury from the initial call-out? Well, he wasn’t forgotten and once the various lightning strike emergencies had all been dealt with, the crew transferred back over to Langdale to pick him up and deliver him to hospital.

The helicopter eventually returned to its Scottish base just after 7.30pm.

The full HMS Gannet duty crew was: Lieutenant Al Hinchcliffe (aircraft commander and pilot), Lieutenant Guy McCallum (pilot), Lieutenant Tim Barker (observer) and Petty Officer Marcus ‘Wiggy’ Wigfull (aircrewman and qualified paramedic).

Source: Royal Navy