First Cairngorm avalanche victim is named

The first victim of yesterday's deadly avalanche in the Cairngorms has been named.

He is Rimon Than, (33), a squadron leader based at RAF Valley in North Wales.

The other two victims - a man and a woman - have not yet been named by police as their next of kin are still informing other family and friends.

It is understood that they are both from outwith the Badenoch and Strathspey area.

Police inquiries into the avalanche which occurred just after 12.30pm in the Chalamain Gap in the Cairngorms are ongoing.

It is now known that there were two groups of climbers in the area at the time on opposite sides of the gorge.

One group was part of a Glenmore Lodge organised winter skills training course and the second was a separate group comprising off duty RAF personnel who were climbing in the area.

Three people, two from the RAF and one who was on a course being run by the Glenmore team, were caught up in the avalanche.

The search got underway very quickly and mountain rescue teams from Cairngorm, Glenmore and Lossiemouth were joined by SARDA Dogs Scotland, Lake District SARDA Dogs training in the area, members of Cairngorm Mountain Ski Patrol and rescue helicopters 137 and 138.

The Scottish Ambulance Service’s air ambulance was also in attendance.

Once the casualties were located they were all airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where they were sadly pronounced dead.

Northern Constabulary Area Inspector, Murdoch MacLeod, said: "Clearly this is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are currently with the families of those who have lost their lives.

"It is important that we pay tribute to work of the rescuers who responded extremely quickly to the incident and located all three climbers in a short space of time.

"All three were airlifted to Aberdeen, but sadly they died as a result of their injuries."

All immediate next of kin have now been identified.

Reports have been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

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