Two die in rockfall near Glencoe

Two climbers were killed near Glencoe in the Highlands yesterday after falling rocks sent them plunging 400 feet down the side of a mountain.

Two climbers were killed near Glencoe in the Highlands yesterday after falling rocks sent them plunging 400 feet down the side of a mountain.

Emergency services confirmed last night the two climbers, who have not yet been named, died after falling from a ridge on Buachaille Etive Mor, a 3,352ft peak.

The climbers had reached Crowberry Ridge, which lies just below the summit of the mountain, a popular but often dangerous hill for walkers, which overlooks Rannoch Moor south of Fort William.

The Glencoe mountain rescue team and a rescue helicopter from the Royal Navy base at Prestwick, Ayrshire, were unable to save the victims. It was unclear if the pair, who were roped together, had dislodged the rocks, or whether they had been hit by rocks loosened by climbers above.

Despite a busy Easter, with up to 60,000 walkers and climbers in the region, the weather was good, and there were no reports of other serious casualties.