Three hikers found dead on ‘tricky’ mountain ridge in Scotland

Two men and a woman have been found dead on a perilously narrow mountain ridge in Scotland after they failed to return from their walk.

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

The hill walkers were reported missing shortly after 9pm on Saturday, local time, 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 Highlands.

Police said their deaths do not appear to be suspicious.

Glencoe is a picturesque part of the Scottish Highlands and a right of passage for hikers. Picture: Visit Scotland

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.

“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 said.

“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.”

Kate Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said 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.”

There have been multiple 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 came away, according to the local Press and Journal newspaper.

A few days earlier, the body of a 57-year-old man was found in a gully near the ridge, the paper reports.

The ridge close to where the bodies of the three hikers were found is believed to be the narrowest mountain ridge in mainland Britain.

The six-mile ridge, which spans much of Glencoe, is said to be something of a rite of passage for mountaineers.

An expert on the phenomenon of snow patches on Scottish mountains has reacted to the “horrendous” news of the three deaths.

“This is really, really sad,” said Iain Cameron, author of The Vanishing Ice.

“It’s a narrow ridge for sure, and folk have died on it before, but three in one incident? Horrendous.”

Various emergency services and a HM Coastguard were called after the group was reported missing shortly after 9pm.

Police Scotland, HM Coastguard, the RAF and Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team took part in the recovery operation.