Climber, 19, plunges to his death in Alps

Harry Holmes, 19, survived the climbing accident that claimed the life of his fellow Edinburgh University student Robbie Cammack, also 19.

The pair were stranded in a storm for two days at 10,000ft on the Frendo Spur on the north face of the Aiguille du Midi.

They called rescuers last Wednesday to say they were trapped, but a helicopter could not reach them because of severe conditions.

A helicopter managed to take off the following day and picked up Mr Holmes, but by then medical student Mr Cammack, from Craigellachie in Moray, had already fallen to his death. His body was recovered on Friday.

Yesterday, speaking for the first time since the tragedy, Mr Holmes said: "We headed up on Tuesday because it was the first day that the sun was out and we could see the whole of the Midi.

"We made a few mistakes that in hindsight we wouldn't have. It was the collaboration of a few factors."

After becoming trapped he said he and Mr Cammack knew the best thing they could do was wait for the rescue team to reach them.

"I've just been feeling numb about it all but I've felt relief at being rescued. I've been really lucky. I only had mild hypothermia and I am feeling fine now."

He added: "Robbie had a love for life. Everyone he met, he made an impact on their lives.

"He was really an inspirational guy. He was really brave, he liked to challenge himself. He wasn't stupid about things but he would give anything a go."

Robbie's grieving father has criticised French authorities about the way he was informed about his son's death.

Adrian Cammack said he received a call from Chamonix mountain rescue and was told at first his son had been taken off the mountain.

But his joy turned to devastation when he was then told he had fallen and was dead.

Adrian, 52, a former hospital doctor, said news finally came through on Friday morning when a member of the rescue team telephoned.

He said: "My wife picked up the call and we were told they had been taken off the mountain. We were about to jump for joy but were then told: 'He has fallen 400 metres and he is dead.'

"The rescue team have been very professional but it was a very shocking and distressing way to be told.

"There should maybe be a team set up at the British consulate to let people know these things."

Mr Cammack said he had watched the tragedy unfold via webcam footage of the Aiguille du Midi, which showed the bad weather rolling in.

Robbie, a medical student at Edinburgh, slipped from a belay holding him in place, according to reports from France.

He had just completed his second year of studies and was a member of the university's mountaineering club.

His father added: "He was just a fun-loving guy. He loved life and brought a laugh and inspiration to so many people.

"He came hillwalking with me when he was younger and only really got into climbing when he went to university.

"I've had a look at the route they took and it was a long and demanding one. We still don't really know what happened."Chamonix mountain rescue said the circumstances surrounding Mr Cammack's fall were still unclear. A spokesman said: "They had good sleeping bags and cold weather gear, and the temperature wasn't too low."

The teenager had planned to spend the summer mountain-biking in France, travelling through Peru and snowboarding in Argentina.

The former Speyside High School pupil had represented his country in Switzerland and Italy as the Scottish under-16 hill-running champion.

He was the Dux pupil at his school after receiving six A grade highers in fifth year.

He was also a skilled musician, playing the fiddle and piano.