The Duke of Edinburgh award is designed to test your navigational skills and teamwork in occasionally tough conditions. However, a group of unsuspecting school children found themselves the subject of a mass search when atrocious weather swept the region of the Brecon Beacons they were traversing. The area is a favourite with Duke of Edinburgh groups and school trips generally.
Three rescue teams and police were deployed when concerns about the heavy rainfall and deteriorating conditions were raised at 13:00 on the 29th June. The 26 children, divided into four teams, were last seen at the Tafarn Y Garreg pub, Abercraf, Powys. The children were from England St Albans School and were in their mid-teens. Intermittent phone contact with the groups had revealed that two pupils were suffering the effects of hypothermia.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesman said, "the Mountain Rescue Team [were] leading the search activity and the UK Coastguard helicopter assisting." The cloudy conditions made it difficult for helicopters to see the terrain, despite Mark Moran from Central Beacons Mountain Rescue being confident the team knew the location of the groups.
The children were located safe and were fit to walk down the mountain to hot drinks and a fire. Those with mild onset hyperthermia received the necessary medical attention. Jonathan Gillespie, the Head Teacher of St Albans, released a statement reassuring the public that the children were at no point lost. Their location was known and two members of staff reached them within 90 minutes. The principal motivation for getting them back down the mountain was the two students suffering hyperthermia like symptoms. Mr Gillespie continued to praise the emergency services and was hopeful that the students would complete their silver expedition in the future.
The rapid response to the deteriorating weather and the danger posed to the students is to be hugely admired. The alarm was raised swiftly, the coordinators knew the approximate location of the students to communicate to the rescuers and the children had the means of making contact. Undoubtedly the situation could have been much worse, for example if the search had been launched later there may not have been time to find the students before night fall. It was wonderful to have a quick result with the worst upset being those students who required minor medical attention. All the students were taken to hospital for a check up to be on the safe side.
HandsamSchoolTripAdvisor can help you risk assess accurately with our risk assessment guidance and find the perfect hiking location for your Duke of Edinburgh expedition with our list of top rated outdoor retreats. Our trip planning system will help you have as effective and prepared contingency plans as exhibited in the Brecon Beacons.
