Six Irish people were airlifted to safety after they became stranded on the highest mountain in Sweden in extremely cold temperatures on Sunday night.
The group were rescued on Monday morning and brought down from the mountain by helicopter.
The six Irish people, believed to be aged in their 30s, had climbed to the summit of Kebnekaise, near the Arctic Circle.
Rickard Svedjesten, president of the Swedish Mountain Rescuers National Organisation, said the group had been lost on the mountain over the "very cold" night.
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Some of the group were only wearing shorts and t-shirts, as well poor footwear, he said.
After conditions on the mountain deteriorated on Sunday, the six became separated into two groups, and an emergency call was made at about 9.30pm.
Police and mountain rescue units were unable to travel up the mountain by helicopter on Sunday night, due to cloudy conditions. The rescue helicopter successfully made the journey on Monday morning, and airlifted all six down to a village at the foot of the mountain.
Mr Svedjesten said the six Irish people had been “very badly equipped” for the journey up the mountain. “They went up to the summit, they were lost”, he said. “Last night we couldn’t go up… This morning the helicopter went up,” he told The Irish Times.
It is still unclear how the six people spent the night on the mountain.
While there is a shelter on Kebnekaise, Mr Svedjesten said it did not appear the group had been able to find it.
The group were “very cold” when they were rescued and brought off the mountain, but apart from that had no injuries, he said.
“A lot of Guinness is awaiting the mountain rescue guys,” he said.
The weather had been fine when the group began their journey up the mountain, but worsened as the day went on, he continued.
The group were hiking with “bad boots, not real boots, very badly equipped,” he said.
Such rescues were common at this time of year, as very good weather quickly turned to cold and windy conditions after dark, Mr Svedjesten told RTÉ Radio.
The biggest problem was when people were not prepared, with “bad equipment and bad clothing,” he said. “It’s not just the Irish, it happens to the Swedes,” he said.
The mountain, Kebnekaise, has an elevation of more than 2,000 metres, and is located in the north of the Scandinavian country.
