Two ski tourers forced to spend the night in freezing conditions without shelter at 3,000ft in the Glencoe mountains were rescued at the weekend – 14 hours after raising the alarm.
The pair had called Police Scotland on Friday evening to report they were stuck “in a precarious position” on 3770-ft Bidean Nam Bain, where temperatures plummeted to at least -15C.
Sixteen members of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team battled in blizzards for 10 hours but were unable to reach them because of the white-out conditions.
After spending the night exposed to the elements, the pair were spotted by the Inverness-based Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter.
It was able to winch them to safety at around 8.30am on Saturday, ending a 14-hour ordeal.
A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “At first light on Saturday, the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Inverness carried out a dramatic rescue of two stranded ski tourers.
“The pair had spent the night without shelter at 3000ft after bad weather hampered rescue attempts.
“They were found in a precarious position, next to a steep drop, before being winched onto the helicopter.
“Both casualties were taken to Torlundy, Fort William before being passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
The spokesman added: “Thankfully a good outcome.”
A spokesman for Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team admitted it had been “quite a day in the glen”.
He said: “The wee lairig was the place for [the] action. Serious conditions on the hill leading to some hard decisions on a call out lasting through the night.
“All ended well come the daylight hours, clear skies and the rescue heli.”
The MCA, meanwhile, urged people venturing into the mountains to “think safety first” and not to put themselves in any unnecessary dangers.
The spokesman said: “You should tell a friend or family member of where you are going and when you plan to return.
“Remember to be prepared, UK mountains should not be underestimated as they can be unforgiven for even the most experienced people.
“Severe weather conditions could mean a change in your environment within minutes and navigation could be difficult.
“White-out snow conditions could also make paths and tracks dangerously impassable.”
