A runner who sustained multiple injuries in a serious fall on a ridge hundreds of metres high has been airlifted to hospital.
The male hillclimber fell a "significant distance" from the north buttress of Stacach Ridge on Arran at around 3pm on Tuesday March 14. The ridge connects to the island's highest mountain, Goatfell, which is 874 metres tall.
Members of the Arran Mountain Rescue Team were transported up the ridge to attend to the casualty and prepare him for transport to hospital. The UK Coastguard's Rescue 199 helicopter then winched up the injured man before taking him to hospital.
Dramatic photographs shared by the mountain rescue squad showed the man being airlifted out of the crevice before being taken away by the bright red and white chopper. The man's current condition is not known.
In a statement, Arran Mountain Rescue Team said: "The team were called out at approximately 1500hrs today to assist a hill runner who had fallen a significant distance from the North buttress of Stacach ridge, North of Goatfell, sustaining multiple injuries.
"Thankfully the cloud lifted shortly after the call which allowed Rescue 199 to drop their winchman down to the casualty to start treatment before picking up several team members and dropping them on the ridge.
"The winchman and team members packaged the casualty before he was winched on board Rescue 199 and flown to hospital. Thank you to everyone for their help and we wish the casualty a speedy recovery."
An HM Coastguard spokesperson said: "The police requested our assistance just after 3pm yesterday afternoon (14 March) with extracting an injured person at Goatfell. The coastguard helicopter from Prestwick and Arran Coastguard Rescue Team was sent along with Arran Mountain Rescue Team.
"The casualty was taken by helicopter to Prestwick Airport and passed into the care of the ambulance service."
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We dispatched one ambulance to Prestwick Airport and the patient was transported to Ayr Hospital.”
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