Glencoe hiker deaths – latest: Bodies found after three go missing near Aonach Eagach Ridge

Six-mile ridge running through Glencoe is notoriously difficult to climb

Three hikers found dead in Glencoe

Three hikers have been found dead in Glencoe, after failing to return from the “narrowest” mountain ridge on mainland Britain.

The hillwalkers were reported missing shortly after 9pm on Saturday, with a Coastguard helicopter assisting Police Scotland, the RAF and Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team in searching the Aonach Eagach ridge.

Their bodies were discovered shortly after the rescue mission began in the Scottish Highlands, and police said their deaths do not appear to be suspicious.

The ridge is “probably the trickiest scrambling on any” route listed on WalkHighlands, the website says, describing it as “hard, exposed” terrain linking the Munros of Meall Dearg and Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh, which have summits reaching 952m and 967m above sea level respectively.

Police 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 5 August.

“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.”

Key Points

• Full report: Three hikers found dead in Glencoe
• RAF and Coastguard join search for missing hikers
• Mountain ridge is ‘narrowest’ on British mainland
• Deaths do not appear to be suspicious, police say

[7 August 2023 21:59 · Andy Gregory]

We’re pausing live updates on the blog for this evening, thanks for following here.

My colleagues will be back in the morning to bring you any further developments.

You can keep scrolling to read back through our coverage below:

[7 August 2023 21:43 · Andy Gregory]

Full report: Three hikers found dead on mountain ridge in Scotland

Three hikers have been found dead on a mountain ridge in Scotland after they failed to return from their walk.

Emergency services were called to the Aonach Eagach Ridge in the Scottish Highlands on Saturday after the group were reported missing shortly after 9pm.

Police Scotland, HM Coastguard, the RAF and Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team took part in the recovery operation. However, their bodies were tragically discovered shortly after the rescue mission began.

My colleague Maryam Zakir-Hussain has the full report here:

[7 August 2023 20:16 · Andy Gregory]

Police enlisted help of coastguard due to inaccessible conditions

The Coastguard are said to have been called out some time after police were alerted on Saturday.

HM Coastguard said they were alerted to the incident at 10.50pm and a Coastguard helicopter proceeded to assist the police in searching the Aonach Eagach ridge.

A police 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 5 August.”

Police Scotland called out the coastguard 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.

[7 August 2023 19:41 · Andy Gregory]

Mapped: Where is the Aonach Eagach ridge?

The six-mile Aonach Eagach ridge runs along the north of Glencoe, and links the Munros of Meall Dearg and Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh, which have summits reaching 952m and 967m above sea level respectively.

(Datawrapper)

[7 August 2023 19:02 · Andy Gregory]

Ridge ‘probably trickiest scrambling’ on any Walkhighlands route

The Walkhighlands website says the Aonach Eagach ridge is “probably the trickiest scrambling on any Walkhighlands route.

“Ensure you have the necessary skills and experience, choose a dry day (the rocks are slippery when wet) and leave plenty of time to complete the route in daylight. If in any doubt, it is best to hire a guide.”

Scrambling refers to terrain which requires walkers to also use their hands to traverse it.

[7 August 2023 18:44 · Andy Gregory]

Police statement in full

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 Glen Coe 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.”

[7 August 2023 18:29 · Andy Gregory]

Search hindered by mist and fog, police say

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.

[7 August 2023 18:12 · Andy Gregory]

Mountain ridge ‘is one of most exposed and narrow in UK'

A mental health and outdoors campaigner has described Aonach Eagach as “one of the most exposed and narrow mountain routes in the UK”, as he reacted to the “desperately sad” news.

“Thoughts with their friends and families, and with the mountain rescue team which found them,” Ross Cunningham, editor of the Mountains Mend Minds documentary project, wrote on social media.

“Aonach Eagach is popular but it’s also one of the most exposed and narrow mountain routes in the UK, particularly among the mainland summits. Such a tragic incident.”

[7 August 2023 17:56 · Andy Gregory]

MSP expresses ‘sincere appreciation’ to mountain rescue teams

Kate Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, described the three deaths as “horrendous news”.

“My thoughts are with the families,” said the SNP politician. “My sincere appreciation to mountain rescue, as always, and the emergency services.”

[7 August 2023 17:44 · Andy Gregory]

Multiple deaths reported on Aonach Eagach Ridge in recent years

There have been several deaths and injuries on the Aonach Eagach Ridge in recent years.

Last September, a 36-year-old man died after falling some 200 metres from close to the top of the ridge after a rock he was gripping to gave way, according to the local Press and Journal newspaper.

Just a few days prior, the body of a 57-year-old man reported missing from Dundee 12 months earlier was found in a gully near the ridge, the paper reports.