A man in 60s who became lost in a forest in Galway was rescued after a search operation lasting through the night this week.
Gardaí led a successful multi-agency search and rescue operation for a man in his late 60s who had become disorientated in a wooded area in Gort on Monday.
The man had been walking a dog at around 5:30pm on Monday evening with another person in the Garryland forest near Coole Park Nature Reserve, when they became separated.
Following unsuccessful attempts to locate or contact the man by phone, and with darkness falling and weather conditions deteriorating rapidly – heavy rain and hail – he was reported missing to Gardaí at around 7:15pm by the other person.
At this point, the missing man had lost his phone and was unable to make his way out of the dense forestry in the poor conditions.
Gardaí arrived at the scene and immediately began a ground search where the man was last seen, which was coordinated by Sergeant John Cunningham of Gort Garda Station.
Extensive searches were then carried out with the assistance of the Garda Air Support Unit; Coast Guard; the Search and Rescue Dogs Association; Galway Civil Defence (Loughrea, Ballinasloe and Galway City); Ennis Civil Defence; Killaloe Search and Rescue and a number of local volunteers.
One of the local volunteers, Jamie Warwick, offered vital assistance in helping to narrow the search area.
Air searches were initially conducted by drone and subsequently by the Garda Air Support Unit.
At approximately 1am, one of the SARDA dogs, having been given the man’s scent from an item of his clothing, managed to track and locate the man.
He was helped out of the forest and offered medical assistance at the scene for mild hypothermia and is expected to make a full recovery.
Inspector Stan O’Grady of Gort Garda Station said: “This was an exceptional result for everyone concerned. Without the determination of members on the ground, and the very effective cooperation between the different agencies, this could have had a very different outcome.
“The man has expressed his great appreciation and admiration for the work carried out by the emergency services.”
Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche of the Galway Garda Division added, “This was a wonderful outcome. I want to praise the hard work and dedication of members of An Garda Síochána and the other agencies who were out in very challenging conditions last night and who worked exceptionally well together.”
