Incident report

An Edale and Buxton Mountain Rescue teams snatch squad was called to Abney Moor during the afternoon to an incident involving a glider.

Other agencies including the Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire Police helicopter, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Air Ambulance also attended.

A glider had crashed into trees and a wire fence on the moor adjacent to fields and a 25 foot deep ravine. The trees and fence held the glider in a vertical position and prevented the casuality from falling deeper into the ravine itself.

The fire service secured the aircraft and cut the 74 year old male pilot free. This was a difficult operation as he was hanging upside down in the aircraft. The pilot sustained injuries to his lower legs and scalp lacerations. He was treated by a Mountain Rescue team doctor and air ambulance paramedics on site.

The casualty was transferred to a stretcher by fire service and mountain rescue personnel, and lifted over steep and muddy ground with rope assistance. Once on level ground he was reassessed, and put into a waiting air ambulance to be flown to the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, for further treatment.