Sixth climber of the year dies on Scots mountains

POLICE have confirmed that a climber has been killed in the Cairngorms – the sixth to die on Scotland’s mountains this year.

The accident happened on Friday when the man was in the Coire an t-Sneachda area, close to the CairnGorm Mountain ski resort in Inverness-shire.

Police Scotland said the alarm was raised at about 11am but the climber had died.

The Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team said the man had been airlifted to hospital with fatal injuries.

It added: ‘Sadly, the climber died after a fall in the Northern Corries. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the climber, who died after a big fall.’

The team was involved in two rescues on Friday, including a skier on a plateau who was airlifted to safety.

The latest tragedy comes three days after the bodies of climbers Tim Newton, 27, and Rachel Slater, 24, were found on Ben Nevis, five weeks after they disappeared on a Valentine’s Day climb. It is believed the experienced climbers were caught in an avalanche before they had begun their ascent.

Last month, Adrian David Bankart from Matlock, Derbyshire, died on 3,710ft Creag Meagaidh – 19 miles north-east of Ben Nevis – after being hit by an avalanche.

In January, Joe Smith, 23, of Kinlochleven, a member of the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, and mountain skills instructor Simon Davidson, 34, of Fort William, died climbing in Glen Coe.

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service, which provides information on potential risk, has recorded 153 avalanches since the season started in December.