Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Pilgrims warned about health risks of steep climbs

PILGRIMS WITH underlying cardiac conditions were warned at an inquest yesterday that climbing steep mountains such as Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo, poses health risks.

Dr Tunde Adegbola, consultant pathologist at Mayo General Hospital, gave evidence at an inquest in Castlebar into the death of Joseph Reilly (49), a farmer, from Roberstown, Carlanstown, Co Meath.

Mr Reilly was on a family outing to Croagh Patrick on August 15th last when he became ill near the summit.

He was taken for shelter into the chapel on the summit but became limp in a chair there and stopped breathing.

Despite the fact that CPR was applied in the church by a number of nurses and he was afterwards airlifted by rescue helicopter to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar, Mr Reilly died.

Dr Adegbola, who carried out a postmortem, said the cause of death was sudden cardiac failure due to ischaemic heart disease.

The pathologist said Mr Reilly had a stent inserted during previous heart surgery. Although able to cope with the demands of everyday living, Mr Reilly’s heart had not been able to cope with the stress of the climb.

Asked by coroner John O’Dwyer if people with heart conditions should climb mountains such as Croagh Patrick, Dr Adegbola said such activity can put inordinate stress on the body which can lead to death. The coroner returned a verdict of death from natural causes.

In a separate mountaineering death, a 58-year-old man fell some 600 feet (182 metres) to his death on the Maamtrasna Mountain range in Connemara on September 27th last, the coroner was told.

Patrick Fox, of Oranhill, Oranmore, Co Galway, who was a retired seismologist, was an experienced climber. He had been with his two brothers, Larry and John.

They encountered a heavy mist and decided to abandon the walk due to weather conditions.

They followed the path of a mountain stream downhill. Later Mr Fox became separated from his brothers on a “dangerous stretch” and they went looking for him.

Larry Fox told the inquest: “I heard a noise like rocks moving. I saw something falling from the mountain. I thought it was his (Patrick’s) rucksack.

“When I got closer I realised it was Patrick. John and I went as far as him. He was lying face down on the rocks with one hand over his head. I felt for a pulse but there was nothing.

Pat O’Hora, a member of Mayo Mountain Rescue, said conditions on the mountain at the time of the fall were extremely dangerous, with loose rocks and slippery terrain.

Asked by the coroner if it would have made any difference if Mr Fox had been equipped with a global positioning system, the witness replied it would not as the deceased had been an expert map-reader who knew exactly where he was.

The coroner returned a verdict of misadventure.
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