Home / Disasters and Accidents / Marines Rescue Frozen Climber on Ben Nevis
Marines Rescue Frozen Climber on Ben Nevis
31 Jan
Summary
- Marines found a climber in freezing conditions on Ben Nevis.
- The rescue occurred during a joint exercise with Dutch marines.
- The climber was transported down the mountain on a makeshift stretcher.
On January 24th, a joint training exercise involving Scottish Royal Marine Reserves and the Dutch Korps Mariniers on Ben Nevis took a critical turn. While ascending Britain's highest mountain amidst gale-force 8 winds and extremely poor visibility of only one meter, the marines spotted a climber in distress.
The individual was found in a severe state, suffering from freezing temperatures with visible ice formation on his face. Recognizing the immediate danger, the marines acted swiftly to rescue the stranded climber.
Using a makeshift stretcher, the marines carefully transported the man down the treacherous mountain slopes. Sergeant Onno Lankhaar, a section commander for the Dutch marines, emphasized the critical nature of their timely intervention, stating the climber would not have survived without their discovery.
Following the rescue, the climber demonstrated remarkable resilience, regaining enough strength to walk independently. He was subsequently handed over to emergency services for further medical assessment and care.
