Brave men

[Fran]

I do admire the brave men in the recue helicopters, lifeboats, coastguards etc.
tonight a lossiemouth rescue plane with 7 aboard, landed at wick airport to meet the ambulance to take a winchman to raigmore hospital. the plane was not able to fly to aberdeen and it was risky going to raigmore. they left at midnight.

also the brave men who risked all to rescue some stupid climbers out in this weather. they were lucky to be found and i hope they were grateful to the heroes who saved them. they should donate a big sum of money to their funds.

It also showed that caithness MUST keep its maternity unit. i doubt if they would have been able to fly a pregant woman to raigmore tonight, and if they did how frightening it would be in the strong winds and snow storms. It would not have been possible by road.

[lassieinfife]

I think the idiots who go climbing at this time of year knowing full well about the weather ...... it has been reported enough.. should bear the full cost of any rescue mission,plus a large donation to rescue crews funds.The idiots never consider that they are putting anyone else's life at risk.Make them pay then they might reconsider doing stupid things

[golach]

I think the idiots who go climbing at this time of year knowing full well about the weather ...... it has been reported enough.. should bear the full cost of any rescue mission,plus a large donation to rescue crews funds.The idiots never consider that they are putting anyone else's life at risk.Make them pay then they might reconsider doing stupid things

Lassieinfife, I am with you 100% on this issue, walkers, climbers and all else should be made to take out insurance for this eventuality. It cost around £1.5K an hour to run a helicopter, not to mention the risk to the lives of the crews and the effort that the Mountain Rescue teams.

[unicorn]

some people are just so determined that they know better than everyone else and will do what they want regardless of risk to others which is just pure selfishness in my opinion. Definately make them pay for their rescue.

[Moira]

I think the idiots who go climbing at this time of year knowing full well about the weather ...... it has been reported enough.. should bear the full cost of any rescue mission,plus a large donation to rescue crews funds.The idiots never consider that they are putting anyone else's life at risk.Make them pay then they might reconsider doing stupid things

Absolutely ! - but how they would go about enforcing this is another question. Could they not be charged with "reckless behaviour" or "endangering life" or both ?? - because that is what they are effectively doing when they set out to walk the hills after having been advised of the severe weather conditions anticipated. The guys involved in this most recent episode of lunacy were in no way experienced or indeed properly equipped for hillwalking. I honestly think these people believe the only protection they need nowadays are their mobile phones, knowing full well that the dedicated Mountain Rescue team will come to their aid whatever.

After a similar incident a few years ago, an old gamekeeper friend of mine remarked "Aye - it's that time of year when even the deer have the sense to come down off the hills - and these daft "bleepers" head up them" (This is a VERY polite version of what he actually said - I'll leave the rest to your imagination - I have no wish to be banned from the Board here - and I've not even attempted to put it into Caithness dialect)