The men were airlifted from Ben MacDui shortly before midnight. Photo: Joe Dorwood

The men were airlifted from Ben MacDui shortly before midnight. Photo: Joe Dorwood

Two walkers were rescued from the UK’s second highest mountain after getting into difficulties in atrocious conditions.

Rescue team members led the pair to safety as 100mph winds battered Ben MacDui last night.

The walkers called for help after getting soaked during a walk on the Cairngorms plateau. They had set off from the CairnGorm Mountain ski resort two days previously.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire flew to the site and airlifted the men, who were in their 20s, from the hillside after members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team found them and accompanied them part-way down the 1,309m (4,295ft) mountain.

Team leader Willie Anderson praised the helicopter crew’s flying as amazing.

The men had managed to text their position to rescuers, who faced blizzards and lightning during the incident. The team was called out about 5pm yesterday and found the walkers about 10pm.

Mr Anderson said the men were lucky. He added their chances of survival on the mountain overnight would have been very slim.

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