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| Third walker dies in Scotland as search for Ben Nevis pair remains suspended | Third walker dies in Scotland as search for Ben Nevis pair remains suspended |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A second man from a group of hillwalkers who disappeared overnight in the Southern Uplands of Scotland has died, police have confirmed. | A second man from a group of hillwalkers who disappeared overnight in the Southern Uplands of Scotland has died, police have confirmed. |
| This brings to three the total deaths on Scottish mountains over the past 24 hours, while two men remain in hospital, one in a serious condition. | This brings to three the total deaths on Scottish mountains over the past 24 hours, while two men remain in hospital, one in a serious condition. |
| Geoffrey Stewart, 74, was pronounced dead at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary on Wednesday night. His friend, 73-year-old George Crosbie, died earlier in the afternoon. The third of their party, Bobby Thomson, 64, is recovering from the effects of hypothermia in the same hospital. | Geoffrey Stewart, 74, was pronounced dead at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary on Wednesday night. His friend, 73-year-old George Crosbie, died earlier in the afternoon. The third of their party, Bobby Thomson, 64, is recovering from the effects of hypothermia in the same hospital. |
| The three men, who lived locally and were regular trekkers, had told family members that they would return by 3.30pm on Tuesday and relatives called police two hours later when they failed to appear. | |
| Pete Brown, training officer for Moffat Mountain Rescue, told the Guardian that his team had been scrambled at 7pm that evening, but conditions by then had worsened with a severe band of rain and minimal visibility. On the second search day they were joined by two other teams. | |
| “There must have been 50 personnel on the hill. The coastguard rescue helicopter spotted them on open hillside, then three Moffat team members who were closest to the casualty site found them in a survival bag emergency shelter. They were severely hypothermic and evacuated to hospital immediately.” | |
| Brown insisted that the walkers had not taken any risks. “From our point of view, it was a lovely day to be out on the hills and they were adequately prepared for the walk they had planned. The weather only got worse after they had planned to be back.” | |
| “People always jump to the conclusion that they must have made a bad decision but I don’t think what happened was the fault of the walkers.” | |
| Meanwhile, the ground search for the young couple missing on Ben Nevis in the Highlands since the weekend remains suspended because of the risk of avalanches. | Meanwhile, the ground search for the young couple missing on Ben Nevis in the Highlands since the weekend remains suspended because of the risk of avalanches. |
| The Lochaber mountain rescue team had resumed efforts to find Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday after the weather improved during the morning, but a coastguard helicopter conducting an aerial search was then sent north to an avalanche in the Creag Meagaidh area. | The Lochaber mountain rescue team had resumed efforts to find Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday after the weather improved during the morning, but a coastguard helicopter conducting an aerial search was then sent north to an avalanche in the Creag Meagaidh area. |
| Four mountain rescue teams were scrambled to the Creag Meagaidh range, north Lochaber, following the avalanche and two climbers were airlifted to safety. One of the climbers died in hospital and the other remains in a serious condition. | Four mountain rescue teams were scrambled to the Creag Meagaidh range, north Lochaber, following the avalanche and two climbers were airlifted to safety. One of the climbers died in hospital and the other remains in a serious condition. |
| Andy Neilson, team leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue, told BBC Radio Scotland that the weather on the mountains on Thursday morning remained wintry, with squally showers and heavy snow. | Andy Neilson, team leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue, told BBC Radio Scotland that the weather on the mountains on Thursday morning remained wintry, with squally showers and heavy snow. |
| Neilson said: “Compared to normal winter conditions, the weather this winter is not that treacherous, but what is catching people out is that we have these fierce squally showers interspersed with brighter periods.” | Neilson said: “Compared to normal winter conditions, the weather this winter is not that treacherous, but what is catching people out is that we have these fierce squally showers interspersed with brighter periods.” |
| Referring to the fact that the couple, who had travelled to Ben Nevis for a Valentine’s trip, did not leave a note of their route, Neilson said: “We are all independent and like to do our own thing, but if you leave somebody some information about where you’re going, even just what route your are taking, that can help narrow the search. We’re human and accidents happen.” | Referring to the fact that the couple, who had travelled to Ben Nevis for a Valentine’s trip, did not leave a note of their route, Neilson said: “We are all independent and like to do our own thing, but if you leave somebody some information about where you’re going, even just what route your are taking, that can help narrow the search. We’re human and accidents happen.” |
| Both Police Scotland and Lochaber mountain rescue team said they would continue to review conditions before carrying out any further searches. | Both Police Scotland and Lochaber mountain rescue team said they would continue to review conditions before carrying out any further searches. |