Stob Coire nan Lochan. Photo: Richard Webb CC-BY_SA-2.0

Two mountaineers have been rescued after spending the night on a Glen Coe mountain.

The pair were reported overdue when they failed to return from Stob Coire nan Lochan on Friday evening.

Three separate Coastguard helicopters joined mountain rescuers in the search for the climbers.

The Stornoway helicopter was scrambled shortly before 10pm. There was no sign of the missing climbers but the crew did spot evidence of an avalanche.

Poor weather conditions led to the suspension of the helicopter search, which resumed on Saturday about 8am. Crews from Inverness and Prestwick joined mountain rescue teams in the operation.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “Inverness Coastguard helicopter transported Glencoe and Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Teams to the area, while Prestwick Coastguard helicopter carried out an extensive search of the climbers’ route.

“One climber was located at midday and the helicopter paramedic winchman assessed them for hypothermia.

“The second climber was located around 12.30pm.”

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service said the risk for the Glen Coe area remains considerable, with natural avalanches possible and a single-person load likely to trigger one. North to north-east slopes above 850m are prone to avalanches.

The northern Cairngorms also have considerable avalanche risk, while other areas of the Highlands have a moderate risk. Full details are on the SAIS website.