Marines on training exercise save climber stranded in blizzard on Ben Nevis

Royal and Dutch marines helped save the life of a climber who became stranded in severe winter conditions on Ben Nevis.

The mountaineer was found curled up in the snow near the summit of Britain’s tallest mountain after abandoning his climb as a blizzard swept across the mountain and temperatures fell below freezing.

He had become separated from his two companions and was suffering from exhaustion and cold exposure.

Members of the Royal Marine Reserves Scotland and the Dutch Korps Mariniers were taking part in Exercise Highland Warrior, a joint mountain training exercise, when they came across the casualty.

Colour sergeant McKenzie, of Royal Marine Reserves Scotland, said the climber showed clear signs of prolonged exposure to freezing conditions.

“Solid blocks of ice clung to his eyebrows, hat and gloves, and one walking pole was bent while the other appeared broken. When spoken to, he said he had become separated from his two friends and had no idea where they were,” he said.

The group battled wind speeds of around 40mph near the summit, with temperatures producing wind chill values of between -15 and -20 degrees Celsius.

The climber lacked crampons and repeatedly slipped on the icy slopes as the marines tried to help him down the mountain.

Despite efforts to support him, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he began showing clear signs of hypothermia.

Using a waterproof bivvy bag, ropes, a mat and spare clothing, the marines improvised a stretcher and hauled him down the mountain to lower, safer ground.

The marines praised the effectiveness of their training. Royal Navy via Supplied

Dutch Marine section commander Sgt Onno Lankhaar said: “If we hadn’t seen him, he certainly would not have survived.”

Once below the snowline, the climber recovered sufficiently to walk independently and was handed over to emergency services as a precaution. His two companions were later confirmed to have made their own safe descent.

The marines praised the effectiveness of their training and the close cooperation between the British and Dutch units, which they said played a key role in the successful rescue.

C/Sgt McKenzie said: “It was not only a privilege to be invited by the Dutch to join them on their bucket-list climb of Ben Nevis, but also an absolute pleasure to work alongside them throughout the day.

“A major reason we were able to respond as effectively as we did was the excellent training delivered by Sergeant Rich Ely and Major Matt O’Toole in the days leading up to this event.

“The skills, drills and preparation they reinforced during the week directly enabled us to deal with the situation confidently and safely when it mattered.”