On 27th April 1991 two climbers were making an ascent of Esk Buttress when one climber slipped, fell and injured his ribs. His partner lowered him to a ledge and were joined by
two other climbers who had witnessed the fall. The injured climber's partner then left the scene of the fall and went for help. An RAF Sea King helicopter came to assist and
arrived on site two hours after the accident. One Eskdale Mountain Rescue team member was then successfully lowered to the casualty but while lowering a second a team member the
rotor blades of the helicopter clipped the rock face above them. Part of the rotor blade entered the aircraft and struck the helicopter pilot on the head. The crew of the
helicopter immediately left the area and began to descend to make a forced landing but dragging the MRT member through the air as it went. She was only just brought inside
the aircraft before it crash landed at Scar Lathing. On touching down the tail broke off. A Chinook later airlifted the Sea King away from the site and it was taken away and re-built.
Pilot - Jonathan Evans RAF. Slightly injured.
Winchman - Steve Ward RAF.
Other crew - Names unknown.
Passenger (on strop) - Judith Cantrell (Eskdale MRT member).
The Sea King force landed in this area.
