Two climbers plunge to their deaths in Glen Coe

TWO climbers who were roped together fell hundreds of feet to their deaths from a mountain in Glen Coe at the weekend.

The bodies of the two men – thought to be in their twenties – were discovered by two other climbers descending from Stob Coire nam Beith on Saturday at 4.25pm.

Last night, one of the men was named locally as Simon Davidson. He had been involved in mountain-based activities for more than a decade and ran Garbh Mountain Adventures, based in Fort William.

Andy Nelson, leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, said the 16 members took an hour to climb 2,300ft to reach the bodies.

Mr Nelson said: ‘The two climbers descending the mountain came across the bodies of the men. They had gone out on Saturday and there were still plenty of people climbing so there had been no cause for alarm prior to this. The guys were roped together so it’s possible they were still on the climb, but they’ve clearly fallen some distance.

‘My information is that they’ve been killed instantly by the fall.

‘They were young men. They were well equipped and the hill was coated with snow down to sea level.’ He said that the route they took is a ‘commonly climbed’ one, but not one of the most popular.

‘It took a little time for us to reach them because the people who had found them had gone without giving an exact position,’ Mr Nelson added.

‘It is only conjecture but it is possible they got caught up in an avalanche at the top of their climb.

‘We don’t know how far they had descended but it was probably several hundred feet. It was a typical winter day, snowing, with wind on the top. The avalanche risk in the area is considerable. Situations like these are always a difficult job for everybody involved.’

A police spokesman said yesterday: ‘Police Scotland can confirm that two men have died on Stob Coire nam Beith, Glen Coe.

‘Police Scotland was informed of concern for two climbers at around 4.25pm on Saturday and responded alongside members of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.

‘The next of kin of the two men who died have been informed. Further details will be released once next of kin have had time to inform wider family.’

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service last night had ‘considerable’ warnings in place from 6pm to 6am today for Lochaber, Creag Meagaidh, Torridon, the Northern and Southern Cairngorms, and also Glen Coe.

The warning states: ‘Natural avalanches may occur – and a single person load is likely to trigger an avalanche on some slopes.’

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl was swept to her death by a wave at Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside, as she played with friends on an exposed pier.

Caitlin Ruddy was rescued by a dog walker almost half an hour after she fell in, but died later in hospital.

There was speculation the group could have been going close to the waves as a dare but police say the cause of the tragedy is not known.

Locals have said the pier is a popular spot for teenagers and they may not have realised the dangers.

Three of her friends, a girl also 15 and a boy and a girl aged 14, were also knocked into the sea but managed to scramble to the shore unhurt. It is not known why Caitlin and her friends were on the 109yards long stone pier.

Police had already warned the public to ‘keep their distance’ as winter storms brought large swells.

The Environment Agency has also warned against the increasing trend for taking dramatic ‘storm selfies’.

Last night, Tyneside councillor Shirley Mortimer said there had been problems with teenagers daring each other to jump into the sea from the pier.

She said: ‘I want to plead to people to stay away from the sea. You never know what’s going to happen.’

A 12-year-old had to be rescued by helicopter from the sea at Cullercoats in 2011 following a game of ‘wave-dodging’.

Severe weather warnings of sleet, ice and snow are in place across large parts of the UK from the Met Office for today.

‘Killed instantly by the fall’