Health and safety officials are collaborating with Police Scotland to investigate the deaths of three hikers in Glencoe. The hikers, including experienced mountain guide Dave Fowler, along with Graham Cox, 60, and an unnamed 64-year-old woman, got into difficulty while trekking on Aonach Eagach ridge. Their bodies were discovered on Sunday, August 6, after they failed to return home the night before.
Several groups of volunteers from Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, as well as a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter, were involved in the search. Two Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team volunteers managed to reach the trio, who were roped together, in the early hours of Sunday morning. However, due to the darkness and challenging terrain, the recovery mission had to be resumed during daylight hours.
Graham Cox, from Southport, Merseyside, was one of two participants in a guided traverse with Dave Fowler. The traverse can take up to nine hours and is designed for hikers with a good level of fitness and a head for heights. The coastguard helicopter transported Glencoe team members to a location near the casualties later that morning.
Aonach Eagach is a high, narrow ridge in Glen Coe, connecting two summits. It is known for its rocky pinnacles and is a popular scrambling route for climbers. The police are not treating the deaths as suspicious and have filed a report with the procurator fiscal. The Health and Safety Executive is conducting inquiries in conjunction with Police Scotland.