Climber killed in Ben Nevis fall was ‘incredibly skilled’
AN “incredibly experienced” mountain climber who died after falling nearly 2,000ft from Ben Nevis was an Army veteran and teacher in charge of outdoor expeditions for students.
Mark Bessell, 49, was killed after he and another mountaineer triggered an avalanche while scaling the north face of the Scottish peak on Dec 30.
His companion, a 40-year-old man, survived the fall but is being treated for serious injuries.
Nine months before his death, Mr Bessell, who served in the Gloucestershire Regiment, led 20 sixth-form students from Ashton Park School, Bristol, on a five-day expedition in Iceland.
They were shown how to climb over a glacier with icepicks and crampons and scale mountains, according to a blog post on the Bristol Parent website.
Steve Priday, a fellow veteran, described Mr Bessell, who ran the school’s adventure club and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, as “incredibly experienced in all forms of outdoor experiences, including mountain biking and climbing”.