THREE DIE IN BEN NEVIS AVALANCHE
One climber survives after massive rescue operation
THREE climbers died in an avalanche on Ben Nevis yesterday.
The alarm was raised at 11.50am in an area known as No5 gully on the UK’s highest mountain.
Lochaber and Glencoe mountain rescue teams, a helicopter from Inverness Coastguard, an air ambulance, three road ambulances and a trauma team were scrambled.
A group of military personnel who were training in the area also offered to help the rescue, which was coordinated by Police Scotland.
A police spokesman said yesterday afternoon that two climbers had died and two were hurt. They updated that later to say one of the injured had died.
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service had warned the risk of avalanches would be high in the area yesterday.
There were also strong summit winds as Storm Gareth blew in.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon posted her condolences on Twitter.
She wrote: “This is absolutely tragic news. My thoughts are very much with the bereaved and injured. And my gratitude, as always, for the work of our emergency services, Mountain Rescue and Coastguard.”
One person who was nearby when the rescue was being attempted wrote on social media: “I don’t know how the helicopter is managing to do anything in this weather.
“I’m looking straight across at the north face from my desk and hearing the visibility is sitting at zero.”
It’s the third tragedy on Ben Nevis is three months.
On New Year’s Day, a 21-yearold German woman, who was a student at Bristol University, died after she fell from a ridge.
In December, Patrick Boothroyd, 21, from Yorkshire, died after falling in the Tower Gully area.