Glencoe avalanche: Four dead, say police

Four people have died after an avalanche in Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands, the Northern Constabulary has said.

A party of six climbers, three men and three women, were caught up in the avalanche on Bidean Nam Bian, at about 14:00.

One male member of the party raised the alarm.

The sixth climber, a woman, is in a serious condition in hospital in Fort William.

It is understood the party were descending from a peak on the south side of the valley, when the slope they were on broke away.

The climbers were close to Church Door Buttress when the snow slope broke away.


Five of them were swept down the mountain and engulfed by ice and snow.

One female climber was recovered alive but has serious head injuries.

John Grieve, leader of Glencoe mountain rescue team, which co-ordinated the search, said the alarm was initially raised by two climbers - who were not part of the group of six - when they discovered one of the casualties lying in the snow.

But, soon after, police were contacted by the male survivor from the climbing party, who told them more people were missing.

- BBC.co.uk