Two women hit by lightning on Snowdon summit after getting stranded in storm

29 July 2021, 10:37 | Updated: 29 July 2021, 10:45

Two women have been rushed to hospital after being struck by lightning at the top of mount Snowdown during a storm.

Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team were called to rescue the two hikers on the summit of Snowdon by North Wales Police at about 1.30pm yesterday.

One of the rescued women was said to be "falling in and out of consciousness", while the other suffered minor injuries after being struck during the freak storm.

The women were taken to Clogwyn railway station on the Snowdon Mountain Railway before being flown to hospital in Bangor by a Coastguard rescue helicopter.

Rescuers said neither of the women had life-threatening injuries.

Members of the public are warned to stay clear of summit areas if there are any signs of thunderstorms.

Llanberis MRT said: "The team was called out today by North Wales police to a female at the summit of Yr Wyddfa.

"She had been struck by lightning and was falling in and out of consciousness, with blood down one side of the face.

"The team was called to our base at Nant Peris, and a request for the assistance of the Coast Guard rescue helicopter was made.

"Some members were deployed on foot and by train, where others were flown up by Rescue 936 to Clogwyn station.

"At the Summit two females were treated for the effects of a lightning strike.

"One with minor injuries and the other more serious.

"Both were evacuated back down the mountain to Clogwyn station by the team, where they were flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor by Rescue 936."

They added that it had been "very busy" this year in assisting police with 104 incidents.

The team is on permanent call and relies entirely on donations from members of the public.