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Cairngorms avalanche: Police name RAF victim Cairngorms avalanche: Police name RAF victim
(about 1 hour later)
Police have named one of the three people who died after an avalanche in the Highlands. Police have named one of the three people who died after an avalanche in the Highlands on Thursday afternoon.
Sqn Ldr Rimon Than, 33, of RAF Valley, North Wales, was one of two RAF service personnel who were killed in the incident on Thursday afternoon. Sqn Ldr Rimon Than, 33, of RAF Valley, North Wales, who was part of the RAF Mountaineering Association, was killed in the incident in the Cairngorms.
Three people - two men and a woman - died after being caught in the avalanche in the Chalamain Gap area of the Cairngorms. Another man and a woman died after the avalanche in the Chalamain Gap area.
Nine other people in the same party were unhurt. The woman was also a member of the RAF Mountaineering Association. The third fatality was a student on a course at the Glenmore Lodge outdoor centre.
They walked off the mountain. Nine other people who were on the mountain at the time were unhurt.
Sqn Ldr Than was a member of the Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) and a qualified doctor. Investigators cannot say how the avalanche was triggered.
The woman who died was part of a group of off-duty personnel on an expedition in the Cairngorms at the time of the avalanche.
The young man who died was part of a second group of climbers, taking part in a winter mountaineering skills course, who were also caught in the avalanche.
The principal of the outdoor centre, Bob Kinnaird, said it was the first fatality at Glenmore Lodge for more than 40 years.
Northern Constabulary said the next of kin of the two as yet unnamed climbers who died had asked for time to inform friends and family before more details were released to the public.
Experienced climber
Sqn Ldr Than was also a member of the Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) and a qualified doctor.
He was described as an experienced climber.He was described as an experienced climber.
Sqn Ldr Than had recently returned from an AMA expedition to China in December 2012, where his team had become the first to reach the peak of the 5,640m (18,504 ft) Wupingfeng mountain in Sichuan province.Sqn Ldr Than had recently returned from an AMA expedition to China in December 2012, where his team had become the first to reach the peak of the 5,640m (18,504 ft) Wupingfeng mountain in Sichuan province.
Northern Constabulary said the next of kin of the other two climbers who died had asked for time to inform friends and family before their names were released to the public.
An MoD spokesman confirmed that two of those who died were RAF personnel.An MoD spokesman confirmed that two of those who died were RAF personnel.
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives."He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those who have lost their lives."
TributesTributes
First Minister Alex Salmond offered his sympathy and said: "This is another stark and tragic reminder of the dangers on our mountains."First Minister Alex Salmond offered his sympathy and said: "This is another stark and tragic reminder of the dangers on our mountains."
Northern Constabulary Area Inspector Murdoch MacLeod said: "Clearly this is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are currently with the families of those who have lost their lives.Northern Constabulary Area Inspector Murdoch MacLeod said: "Clearly this is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are currently with the families of those who have lost their lives.
"It is important that we pay tribute to work of the rescuers who responded extremely quickly to the incident and located all three climbers in a short space of time."It is important that we pay tribute to work of the rescuers who responded extremely quickly to the incident and located all three climbers in a short space of time.
"All three were airlifted to Aberdeen, but sadly they died as a result of their injuries.""All three were airlifted to Aberdeen, but sadly they died as a result of their injuries."
Police, mountain rescue teams, search and rescue dogs and an RAF helicopter were involved in the operation at the Chalamain Gap, which is a deep, rocky valley in the Cairngorms on the route from the Cairngorm ski road to the Lairig Ghru.Police, mountain rescue teams, search and rescue dogs and an RAF helicopter were involved in the operation at the Chalamain Gap, which is a deep, rocky valley in the Cairngorms on the route from the Cairngorm ski road to the Lairig Ghru.
It is understood the three climbers involved were buried in the snow when rescuers found them.It is understood the three climbers involved were buried in the snow when rescuers found them.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team were involved, along with the police and two helicopters from RAF Lossiemouth.Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team were involved, along with the police and two helicopters from RAF Lossiemouth.
David Rutledge, the training officer for Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, said: "We started mobilising within 15 minutes of the call coming through.David Rutledge, the training officer for Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, said: "We started mobilising within 15 minutes of the call coming through.
"We had a helicopter here incredibly quickly. We had three doctors available straight away who were able to get to the scene.""We had a helicopter here incredibly quickly. We had three doctors available straight away who were able to get to the scene."
He said: "Snow conditions would have been affected massively by the weather we've had over the last few days, but significantly temperatures were increasing throughout the day and that will have had an effect on what was going on."He said: "Snow conditions would have been affected massively by the weather we've had over the last few days, but significantly temperatures were increasing throughout the day and that will have had an effect on what was going on."
The Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) had issued forecasts for Thursday warning of a period of avalanche activity overnight in the Cairngorms and a considerable hazard throughout the day.The Sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) had issued forecasts for Thursday warning of a period of avalanche activity overnight in the Cairngorms and a considerable hazard throughout the day.
It is the latest in a series of avalanche incidents in the Scottish Highlands in the past few weeks.It is the latest in a series of avalanche incidents in the Scottish Highlands in the past few weeks.
Four experienced climbers were killed in an avalanche in Glencoe on 19 January. Two of their party survived, with one suffering serious injuries.Four experienced climbers were killed in an avalanche in Glencoe on 19 January. Two of their party survived, with one suffering serious injuries.
Two climbers escaped unhurt after being caught in a snow slide in Coire an Lochain, also in the Cairngorms, on the same weekend.Two climbers escaped unhurt after being caught in a snow slide in Coire an Lochain, also in the Cairngorms, on the same weekend.