Honderden sporters Engeland vermist

quote:

Op zondag 26 oktober 2008 11:38 schreef Leatherface het volgende:
Noordwesten van Engeland?

Lake District?

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Stranded runners search resumes

An RAF helicopter has been called out to help search for hundreds of athletes left stranded after high winds and flooding in the Lake District.

About 2,500 runners were taking part in the two-day mountain marathon near Keswick in Cumbria.

Many sheltered in farms and mines and some camped out overnight but police say 1,700 are unaccounted for, with 44 thought to be stranded on a fell peak.

Organisers say participants will have been well-equipped with tents and food.

Original Mountain Marathon (OMM) emergency planner Chris Briggs told the BBC News channel those still on the hills should be coping.

"What we've got here are some very, very experienced fell-runners who are very, very well-equipped, which is gratifying," he said.


ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN MARATHON
Two-day mountain marathon
Event started in 1968
Past venues in northern England, North Wales and Scotland
Course length of up to 49.6 miles

"If they've gone up as they should have been equipped then they should be OK."

Organisers, meanwhile, are appealing for runners - competing in teams of two - who have left the area to get in touch as there are still numbers of teams unaccounted for.

As the search resumed on Sunday morning, Cumbria police called in an helicopter.

Insp Ian Clark said mountain rescue teams are still combing the area searching for runners.

Hypothermia

The OMM was abandoned at about midday on Saturday as the event hit by some of the worst weather in its 41-year history.

It has taken place every year since 1968 at various locations across northern England, north Wales and Scotland.

According to the race website, the end of October is chosen to "to allow weather to enhance the challenge".

There are various courses ranging between 40 km (24.8 miles) and 80 km in length, with an ascent of up to 3000m.

Extreme conditions on the mountains and severe flooding made it difficult to get the message to competitors scattered across the hills, often with no means of communication.

Mountain rescue teams searched the hills until after dark, dealing with 11 casualties, and the Northwest Ambulance Service took about 12 people to hospital with hypothermia and minor injuries.

Eight flood warnings are in place across Cumbria, the Environment Agency says.

But weather across the region is expected to improve throughout the day, making the search for others easier.

The BBC Weather website has forecast light showers and winds below 30mph for Sunday, very different from the previous day.

One competitor, Rob Darrington, said at times the high winds and rain had felt as though it was "blowing needles into your face".

"For anybody lacking experience in what they were doing, it was certainly a dangerous place to be," he added.

Another competitor Jules Carter defended the event.

"Obviously the flooding just took things a step too far this time unfortunately," he said.

Overnight, 300 runners sheltered in Honister slate mine, which has seen 1ft (40cm) of rain fall since Thursday, according to the Environment Agency.

Mine manager Mark Weir was critical of organisers who had allowed the race to go ahead.

Speaking on Saturday night, he said: "We've overwhelmed the emergency services - the poor mountain rescue are out trying to find people on the side of the mountain, in the dark."

Organisers defended their decision to stage the event, saying many people did not understand the nature of mountain marathons.

An article on the organisers' website said: "The idea of self-reliance isn't a popular one in this day and age, so the fact that 900 people are said to be unaccounted for is being presented with the implication they are lost and in trouble - which is not the case.

It went on to say they were all well equipped and the vast majority would have made their way down off the hills and found shelter, while those who did not, still had a tent and food.

It advised any worried friends or relatives to look on the OMM website for the latest updates.

Many other local facilities also opened their doors overnight to runners.

About 400 stayed at Gatesgarth farm, while Glaramara Centre and Cockermouth Sheep and Wool Centre gave refuge to dozens of runners.

By early Sunday morning, 750 competitors had been accounted for, said Cumbria Police.

Competitor Adrian Netherwood, who took shelter at Cockermouth School, said he was still quite concerned about friends and colleagues who had not been heard from.

"They are all experience fell runners...they have their tents so they will have gone to low ground..so I'm sure they are all ok."

It is understood casualties were admitted to the Mary Hewetson Cottage Hospital, in Keswick, and later moved to Cumberland Infirmary, in Carlisle, and West Cumberland Hospital, in Whitehaven, for treatment.

quote:

Op zondag 26 oktober 2008 12:14 schreef dubidub het volgende:
Ben benieuwd hoe dit gaat aflopen.

quote:

Missing mountain runners located

Thousands of runners who took part in a Lake District endurance race disrupted by treacherous weather are now accounted for, police have said.

About 2,500 people were taking part in the two-day Original Mountain Marathon near Keswick in Cumbria.

Police said race organisers have now indicated that the final six missing runners were safe.

About 743 sheltered in farms, former mines and a school overnight. Twelve people received hospital treatment.

More than 1,700 people had been unaccounted for overnight, although many had found shelter and all were equipped with tents and food, race organisers said.

On Sunday morning, Cumbria police called in a helicopter to search for those runners still missing.


ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN MARATHON
Two-day mountain marathon
Event started in 1968
Past venues in northern England, North Wales and Scotland
Course length of up to 49.6 miles

Tough challenge of mountain race
Athletes upbeat after finding shelter
Animals threatened by floods

OMM organisers had appealed for participants who had already left the area to get in touch and let them know they were safe.

As the hunt progressed, the number of OMM competitors who were unaccounted for fell rapidly to 42, and then 14.

By 1300 GMT an RAF rescue helicopter was searching for the final six missing racers, comprising of three teams.

Grave danger

The OMM was abandoned at about midday on Saturday after being hit by some of the worst weather in its 41-year history.

It has taken place every year since 1968 at locations across northern England, north Wales and Scotland.

According to the race website, the end of October is chosen "to allow weather to enhance the challenge".

There are various courses ranging between 40 km (24.8 miles) and 80 km in length, with an ascent of up to 3000m.

Extreme conditions on the mountains and severe flooding made it difficult to get the message to competitors scattered across the hills, often with no means of communication.

Mountain rescue teams searched the hills until after dark on Saturday.

RAF Flt Lt Curly Crawford earlier said a helicopter crew had airlifted five runners and two mountain rescue volunteers to safety.

"A female had been washed into a river by the rains, and obviously [was] in grave danger of being washed away," he told the BBC.

"Fortunately she'd been recovered by fellow runners but was severely injured and suffering from hypothermia."

Cumbria County Council said it opened a reception centre overnight at Cockermouth school and worked with volunteers from the Red Cross and local supermarkets to shelter and feed racers.

Authorities are currently working to reunite competitors, who were competing in teams of two, with their vehicles, and the council is providing transportation.

Police said the B5289 between Seathwaite and Keswick is now passable with care and police are still ascertaining which other local roads are open.

One competitor, Rob Darrington, said at times the high winds and rain had felt as though it was "blowing needles into your face".

Another competitor Jules Carter defended the event.

"Obviously the flooding just took things a step too far this time unfortunately," he said.

Overnight, 300 runners sheltered in Honister slate mine, which has seen 1ft (40cm) of rain fall since Thursday, according to the Environment Agency.

Mine manager Mark Weir was critical of organisers who had "overwhelmed the emergency service" by allowing the race to go ahead.

But OMM organisers defended their decision to stage the event.

An article on the its website on Saturday said: "The idea of self-reliance isn't a popular one in this day and age, so the fact that 900 people are said to be unaccounted for is being presented with the implication they are lost and in trouble - which is not the case."

About 400 runners stayed at Gatesgarth farm, while Glaramara Centre and Cockermouth Sheep and Wool Centre gave refuge to dozens of runners.

It is understood casualties were admitted to the Mary Hewetson Cottage Hospital, in Keswick, and later moved to Cumberland Infirmary, in Carlisle, and West Cumberland Hospital, in Whitehaven, for treatment.

Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the floods? Send us your story using the form below.

quote:

Op zondag 26 oktober 2008 17:30 schreef ultra_ivo het volgende:
Video van onderweg: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7691691.stm