The number of cycling-related call-outs responded to by the Mountain Rescue Ireland service doubled last year despite lock-down being in place for prolonged periods.
A total of 20 call-outs, to rescue injured cyclists, were conducted last year compared to 10 in 2019.
“These are mountain biking incidents
that occur generally,” the service said of the biking-related incidents.
“We have seen these incidents on MTB
tracks in the east of the country in 2020. Injuries range from broken bones to
serious concussion.
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“Incidents like these often require
a mountain rescue response as the national ambulance service cannot always
access these paths easily.”
Overall, the number of call-outs –
mostly to rescue or come to the aid of walkers and climbers - reached 345 last year across all mountain rescue teams, an
increase of 15 in 2019.
Mountain Rescue Ireland said the
number of call-outs was dictated by whatever Covid-19 restrictions were in
place last year; call-outs dropping during periods of lock-down and then
increasing when restrictions were eased.
In the opening quarter of the year,
during which the first lock-down began, there were 61 call-outs last year
compared to 75 during that period in the previous year.
In the second quarter call outs were down to 57, compared to 95 in the same period in 2019. In the third quarter of the year the number of rescues increased to 137, up from 103. And in the final quarter of 2020 there were 90 call-outs, up from 57 during the same period in 2019.
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