Mold based search and rescue team scrambled to assist with incident near Pontcysyllte aqueduct

NEWSAR – the Mold based North East Wales Search And Rescue team were called out earlier today Thursday, July 4, to assist with a ‘medical incident’ near Pontcysyllte aqueduct.

The Welsh Ambulance Service said it was called to reports of a person lying on the river bank near the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct just after 11am.

Caernarfon based Coastguard Agency helicopter was also called to the scene to assist with the emergency.

A spokesperson for NEWSAR said: 

“Due to the difficult location we were requested to provide facilities to stretcher the casualty out.

We also requested the assistance of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency helicopter from Caernarfon.

After a carry to a suitable landing site the casualty was loaded into the helicopter and taken to hospital. Get well soon.”

The images released show a NEWSAR team member using a flare to guide the helicopter in, and subsequent rescue.

NEWSAR is a volunteer Search and Rescue (Mountain Rescue) Organisation which is on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Their primary operating area is in North East Wales mainly covering the counties of Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham and parts of Conwy and Powys.

The team also regularly assists Mountain Rescue teams elsewhere in North Wales as well as Lowland Search and Rescue teams in Cheshire and Shropshire.

NEWSAR volunteers also assist Police in searching for vulnerable people who are missing from home or those in need of rescue.

All team members are volunteers and we do not receive any payment for providing this service to the Police.

It costs approximately £25,000 a year to run the Team – this covers fuel and repairs for vehicles, protective equipment for team members, training courses and team equipment such as ropes, stretchers etc.

As NEWSAR is a Registered Charity the vast majority of this money is raised through grants, individual donations, legacies, street collections and collection tins.

For further details of their fundraising activities, visit the Fundraising Page

[Photo Credit: NEWSAR]