Dial 999, ask for Police then Mountain Rescue

100% Voluntary.
100% Committed.

Serviced by dedicated unpaid volunteers, we rely on your support all year round.

The history of organised Mountain Rescue teams began on this island in 1962 when the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team was founded. The Kerry Mountain Rescue Team and the An Óige Mountain Rescue Team were later founded in 1966.

The Mourne Mountain Rescue Team is made up entirely of volunteers who live close to the Mournes. Based at the foot of Slieve Donard in the coastal town of Newcastle, all operations and callouts are currently conducted from the PSNI Station.

Lidl Northern Ireland has been given the green light to proceed with plans to develop a new state-of-the-art store in Newcastle, County Down. The new store, which will be located at Shan Slieve Drive and Bryansford Road, at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, will also provide The Team the space it needs to develop a new facility, future-proofing the organisation and its ability to continue providing a lifesaving service.

The Team are actively fundraising and seeking your help to ensure we have the funds in place to make this exciting project a reality. We need YOUR help to get us the funds we need! To find out how you can donate please visit our donation page. Every Lidl helps…

2021 in numbers

Man Hours

Up 57% from 2020

Callouts

Up 52% from 2020

Team Members

No Change

People Assisted

Down 26% from 2020

Want to help fundraise for The Team?

Mountain Rescue in the UK is a voluntary service. To maintain this valuable community operation, we rely solely on the support and generosity of you – the public.

100% Voluntary. 100% Committed.

On Call 24 / 7 / 365. Here when you need us.

Follow us on Facebook for callout, event and fundraising updates

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

It’s not like we haven’t got enough to deal with on a rescue and this isn’t the first time in recent years that we’ve experienced drones being flown in close proximity to responding SAR Aircraft.

Luckily the drone was spotted by attending Police before the aircraft lifted off but the consequences of a drone/aircraft collision could be catastrophic.

Please DO NOT under any circumstances fly drones if you are aware of an aircraft operating in the area or even if you are simply aware of a rescue underway… an aircraft may not be far off.Yesterday evening South Down neighbourhood team were assisting Newcastle Coastguard to secure the landing site for Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rescue Helicopter 199 from Prestwick as they worked with Mourne Mountain Rescue Team to extract a casualty from the area of Lower Cove.

With the casualty safely in the back of a Northern Ireland Ambulance Service ambulance, the helicopter crew began to prepare for take off to return to Prestwick.

As the helicopter made their preparations to take off, bearing in mind the engines never stopped whilst the casualty was removed from it, and its a big noisy, well lit machine, one of the Police Officers in attendance noted a drone operating in very close proximity to the helicopter. They immediately informed a member of Coastguard and members of the MMRT who in turn informed the crew on board. At the same time Officers made their way to the area of the park the drone was spotted in, in order to try and identify its whereabouts and the person that was operating it. Despite this quick action the drone appeared to have left the area, but people in the park approached the Police attempting to point out where the drone had been.

In short, this is absolute madness. Had that drone impacted with the helicopter at any time, the result would have been catastrophic.

Drones are not toys.

This behaviour was in clear breach of the Air Navigation Order and may result in a criminal prosecution.

If anyone has any information in relation top the drone yesterday evening please get in touch on 101 and quote reference 1228 10/05/25, or alternatively tell us anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
... See MoreSee Less

It’s not like we haven’t got enough to deal with on a rescue and this isn’t the first time in recent years that we’ve experienced drones being flown in close proximity to responding SAR Aircraft. 

Luckily the drone was spotted by attending Police before the aircraft lifted off but the consequences of a drone/aircraft collision could be catastrophic.

Please DO NOT under any circumstances fly drones if you are aware of an aircraft operating in the area or even if you are simply aware of a rescue underway… an aircraft may not be far off.

13 CommentsComment on Facebook

Drones are a scourge in the mountains in general. Whatever happened to people going out for an experience without having to document it with drones ?

Well done MMRT and the SAR team, such a valuable service, unfortunately these inconsiderate drone idiots want footage for likes and clicks, self centred halfwits putting people at risk.

Gives proper responsible drone fliers a bad name

View more comments

Make a difference. Make a donation.

We depend on donations like yours to keep saving lives in the mountains. We can only do the things we do because of people like you. Thank you.

About Us

The Team is made up of 36 volunteers who live in and around the Mourne area. We are on call 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. We undertake a substantial amount of training in advanced first aid, technical rope work and search management.

Donate

We rely on donations from the public to support the work that we do. Your donation, however small, helps us to continue our work - saving lives. 100% voluntary. 100% committed.

In an Emergency

In an emergency dial 999 ask for Police then Mountain Rescue

Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC100396. HMRC Charities Reference Number: NI00503. Company Number: NI 621484.
Copyright © 2021 Mourne Mountain Rescue Team | Designed by Nettl of Lurgan