THE two Scottish Parachute Regiment soldiers who died climbing in
Glencoe were probably killed instantly by an avalanche.
Their bodies were found -- roped together -- under 16ft of snow at the
bottom of Summit Gully yesterday after they had been swept down on
3500ft Stob Coire nan Beith.
Lance Corporal Paul Callaghan, 26, from Glasgow, and Private David
Reid, 24, from Stranraer, were last seen alive on Friday morning by two
novice climbing colleagues in the Parachute Regiment.
It emerged last night that the soldiers -- although experienced
climbers -- had not left a specific route itinerary during their
off-duty weekend in Glencoe, and that their timetable for a return to
the holiday base was also vague.
It is understood the two had agreed to signal by flashlight to their
compatriots that night, if going to be late coming down or if staying
out overnight.
Although no light was seen, the alarm was not raised until Sunday
night. It was assumed the men, trained in winter warfare and personal
survival, had decided to remain on the mountain -- fully capable of
handling the worst storms.
Mountain rescue leader Hamish MacInnes last night appealed to all
climbers to ensure they left full details of routes because precise
locations could prove vital in saving lives on the hills.
But of the latest tragedy he said: ''Under the circumstances, an
earlier alarm would have made no difference.''
He said some climbers did not provide routes and timetables because
they feel it was an infringement, but insisted: ''People should leave
word about where they are going. It can be a matter of life or death to
know where to look, especially if someone is injured, bad weather comes
in, and they are exposed.''
The bodies were flown to Fort William in an RAF Sea King helicopter,
where relatives were informed of the tragedy and are being comforted by
Army personnel.
Hopes faded on Monday that the men, both bachelor members of the 5th
Airborne Brigade based at Aldershot, would be found alive. Climbing
equipment had been found in the gully, where 20ft snowdrifts had
gathered.
High avalanche risks prevented a full search of the gully base until
yesterday. More than 80 members from three mountain rescue teams joined
police, dog handlers, and a helicopter in appalling weather conditions.
L/Cpl Callaghan, who joined the Army in 1988, served in Northern
Ireland and Brunei. Pte Reid, whose passion was mountain climbing,
enlisted in 1986, and served in Northern Ireland, Belize, Spain, and the
US.
Their platoon commander, described them as ''extremely capable and
professional soldiers''.
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