Two men die after fall on Ben Hope in Sutherland

Police have confirmed that two walkers have died after getting into difficulty while walking on Ben Hope, Scotland’s most northerly Munro.

Ben Hope, seen from the west shore of Loch Eriboll. Picture: Wikicommons

Concerns for the pair were raised after they were reported to have gotten into difficulty yesterday afternoon.

A search operation involving a nearby Mountain Rescue team and a helicopter from the Coastguard service was quickly launched and continued throughout Tuesday and into this morning.

The helicopter discovered the bodies of the men on the north-west side of Ben Hope, which has a summit of over 3,000ft, around 2am this morning.

An effort to recover the bodies, which are still on the Munro, is now underway.

Inspector Kevin Macleod said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of both of these men at this tragic time.

“I would also like to pass on our gratitude to the volunteers of Assynt Mountain Rescue Team for their efforts in extremely challenging conditions.”