A major operation successfully brought a mountaineer to safety after he spent a night on a Highland peak.
The 61-year-old solo walker was reported missing after failing to return from a trip on Lochnagar, Deeside. 60 rescuers were involved in getting the man to hospital.
Mountain Rescue Teams from Grampian Police, Aberdeen, Braemar and the RAF took part in the operation, as well as a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth.
The walker is believed to have broken his leg in a fall, but managed to take shelter at a first-aid post on the mountain.
He was found about 4.30am this morning in Raeburn’s Gully. Conditions on the mountainside were described by rescuers as ‘appalling’. The injured man was carried by stretcher until the weather cleared enough to bring in the search-and-rescue helicopter.
Inspector Andrew Todd of the Grampian Police Mountain Rescue Team said: “These first-aid posts have been placed within specific locations over a number of years by the rescue teams for exactly this type of occurrence.”
The casualty was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary about 10am.
