Family visits scene of Ben Nevis avalanche tragedy
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT) has taken relatives and a member of the Swiss Alpine Club close to the gully on Ben Nevis where an avalanche cost three climbers their lives last week.
Only 30-year-old Swiss national Mathieu Biselx survived last Tuesday’s avalanche. He has now returned home, after hospital treatment.
His companions, two Frenchmen, aged 41 and 32, and a 43-year-old climber, also from Switzerland, died.
Their names have not been officially released, but the dead men have been identified in national media reports as Raphael Aymon, Cedric Ravimet and Adrien Robez-Masson.
On Sunday, a sister and brother of one of the four casualties, along with the member of the Swiss Alpine Club, were taken by rescuers to the scene of the accident.
Mr Biselx is the president of the Sion section of the Swiss Alpine Club and his companions were all members.
A member of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service was also with the family members on their walk near to Number 5 Gully. In a post on social media, Mr Biselx commented: ‘Raph, Cédric and Adrien. Thank you for your friendship. Have a nice trip to your new mountains. My thoughts turn especially to your families. I’m wearing you in my heart forever.’
LMRT added: ‘On behalf of the families and friends, we have been asked to pass on their gratitude for all the assistance and kindness they have received from all the people involved in the incident.’