A member of Mayo Mountain Rescue told an inquest yesterday into the death of a Dublin teacher that hill walkers should not fully depend for their safety on modern technology such as hand-held global positioning (GPS) devices.
Colm Byrne was giving evidence at an inquest in Castlebar into the death of Margaret Sweeney (50), Dundrum, who fell to her death on Ben Bury Mountain in Co Mayo on June 30th.
He said he would not rely on GPS. The technology was not perfect and hill walkers would still have to be able to read a map and compass.
Ms Sweeney, a mother of three, was accompanied by her husband, Colm Magee, when she slipped and fell about 50 feet to her death.
Coroner John O’Dwyer returned a verdict of accidental death.
