Climber killed on Ben Nevis was from Germany

Lochaber Police have confirmed that the climber who died on Ben Nevis on New Year’s Day was a 21-year-old woman from Germany.

The incident was reported to police at 10.40am after the woman, a student from Bristol University who was part of a four-strong party on a planned expedition along the popular Càrn Dearg route, fell 500 feet while climbing.

On New Year’s Day, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team received an emergency call at around 10.30am and a Coastguard helicopter airlifted members of the team to retrieve the woman’s body and pick up her climbing companions.

A statement posted on the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Facebook page said: ‘The team had to recover a young climber who, unfortunately, lost her life following an accident on Càrn Dearg on Ben Nevis. We pass on our sincere condolences to her family and friends. A very sad start to 2019.’

The team also thanked the Coastguard helicopter crew for what it called ‘another example of exceptional flying’, enabling the team to evacuate the casualty from a very difficult location.

Sergeant Michael Bell said: ‘Our thoughts are with the woman’s friends and family at this tragic time. There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.’

The woman’s family have requested no further details are issued.

This is the second death on Britain’s highest mountain in a matter of weeks and follows that of Cardiff University student Patrick Boothroyd, 21.