66-Year-Old Father Tragically Plummets 130 Feet During Mountain Hike Leaving Family Devastated

A cold Sunday afternoon family trip turned into a horrific and tragic nightmare for a family after their hike went horribly wrong. The 66-year-old man aimed to conquer a popular Scottish mountain during a weekend hike and adventure day with his two sons and other friends.

What was supposed to be a fun-filled Sunday afternoon followed by a royal feast became an evening of what-ifs and deep sorrow for the family.

Sunday hike goes horribly wrong

According to the reports, the 66-year-old man was on the Carn Mor Dearg when the tragedy struck. His two sons witnessed the fatal fall and their father plunged 130ft at a very high pace. The fall happened right in front of them, near one of the flanks that led to Ben Nevis.

They immediately alerted the authorities and emergency services. The Lochaber Mountain rescue team responded within record time. They sent a total of 10 members to retrieve the body of the old man from the difficult terrains after getting a call around noon.

Speaking to the media after the unfortunate incident, Iain Murray, the head of the Lochaber MRT said, “He fell a considerable distance in a very steep place. I believe he had two of his sons with him and so this is particularly tragic event for them.”

Rise in call outs at Lochaber Mountain

By the time the rescue team arrived at the scene, cloud conditions had drastically improved. This meant that the coastguard could use the helicopter to rescue the other walkers and retrieve the body of the 66-year-old.

The Lochaber MRT has been in the news for all the wrong reasons this year. It is on par to reach its record tally of callouts, with its current tally standing at 114 after Sunday’s horrific afternoon. They are just 18 short of equaling their highest tally of callouts received in a single year, with four months still to come.

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Another couple was rescued from the same ridge about two hours later after one of them became started after having second thoughts about the climb. The couple, in their 20s, were retrieved by the coastguard in a helicopter and brought back to safety.

Hikers must ensure they take into consideration all factors before deciding to take the massive step. There are many dangers attached to the thrilling sport and one must be well-versed with all the do’s and don’ts before venturing out in the mountains.

What do you make of the distressing news? Let us know in the comments section below.

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