The Stornoway Coastguard helicopter airlifted casualties to hospital, along with the RAF Sea King
A woman has died in a climbing accident which left three others injured.
The climber was belaying the lead man when he dislodged a rock and fell about 25m (82ft) on a route in the Black Cuillin on Skye today.
She was struck on the head and legs by the falling rocks and knocked unconscious on the Severe-graded Cioch Direct route on Sròn na Cìche. Her injuries proved fatal.
The lead climber was also seriously injured in the fall, which happened this afternoon in deteriorating weather.
Skye Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 3pm and initial reports said at least six people had been hurt in the incident.
A second, unconnected climbing party which was about to start the route, was also hit by the falling stones and the pair, a man and a woman, were seriously injured.
A third pair below them were also hit by falling rocks but were not seriously injured.
Gerry Ackroyd, team leader of the Skye team, said the lead climber had just put a friend – a cam device used to set up protection – into a crack on the climb. “It dislodged a rock. It came away with a boulder and he went with it,” he said. “The rocks hit the woman who was belaying below, on the legs and, unfortunately, on the head.”
The lead climber suffered a broken leg in his fall, he said.
The woman in the second party sustained injuries to her chest and a suspected spinal injury from the rocks which also caused a compound fracture of her companion’s shoulder and injuries to his hand. He was able to walk down from the route to summon help despite his pain.
Onlookers described the rockfall as ‘looking like a boulder avalanche’ Mr Ackroyd said.
A Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway was joined by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth and the two aircraft flew the most serious casualties to Broadford Hospital on the island, as the cloud started to descend.
The six-hour rescue operation involved 24 members of the Skye Mountain Rescue Team.
No further details of the woman who died or the other injured climbers have been released by the police.
Cioch Direct is a four-pitch, 152m (499ft) route on the Cioch Buttress, on the western side of the Cuillin range.
