At around 6.30pm last night, Sunday November 5th 2017, the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team were mobilised by Dumfries Galloway Police Division to the reports of a family of 7 lost near the Merrick Hill, in the Galloway Forest park.
A Sarloc Rescue was implemented and a location verified, SARLOC is a system developed by Russ Hore, a former Mountain Rescue team member in the UK.
It is used by SAR teams worldwide to assist locating lost people using their ‘smart phones’. The system requires an internet enabled smart ‘phone and suitable web browser. Nothing needs to be installed on the lost persons ‘phone for the system to work
This allowed Rescue 199 helicopter to locate the family and direct Galloway Mountain Rescue team to their location with their two ‘day light’ spot lamps.
Galloway MRT team members met the family and after assessing there was no injuries, guided the group off the hill.
