Three hillwalkers have been found dead after failing to return from a walk in Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands, Police Scotland have said.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of concern for a group of three hillwalkers who had not returned from the Aonach Eagach ridge in Glencoe shortly after 9.05pm on Saturday, August 5.
“A search was carried out and the bodies of three people were found. HM Coastguard as well as Glencoe and RAF mountain rescue teams assisted with the recovery operation.
“There do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
The ridge, regarded as one of the narrowest of its kind on the British mainland, is a notoriously difficult climb with the British Mountaineering council warning would-be climbers need “more than just some basic experience in the hills and a good head for heights”.
It stretches for several miles and links the summits of two of Scotland’s highest mountains - the 3,175ft Sgurr nam Fiannaidh and the 3,124ft Meall Dearg.
Police Scotland called out the Coastguard at 9.40pm due to the inaccessibility of the area and the Inverness search and rescue helicopter was despatched and carried out a search in difficult weather conditions, with low visibility caused by mist and fog.
The bodies were located and the Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick returned in daylight to assist mountain rescuers with recovering the bodies.
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “HM Coastguard assisted Police Scotland following reports of three missing walkers in Glencoe on Saturday, August 5.
“Alerted at around 10.50pm, the Coastguard helicopter from Inverness assisted with a thorough search of the Aonach Eagach ridge.
“The helicopter from Prestwick provided further support to police and mountain rescue teams Sunday morning.”
