Four students rescued after getting lost in fog on Ben Macdui

Four students were rescued in thick fog off Britain’s second highest mountain early today.

The men were on a hike on 4,295ft high Ben Macdui in the Cairngorms when they got disorientated in the conditions.

It was a long night for the four members of Braemar Mountain Rescue Team who went to their aid, after the alarm was raised around 9pm on Monday.

“The group were not confident of navigating from where they were in the conditions,” said Braemar MRT operations manager Malcolm MacIntyre.

“They made it to Sappers Bothy – which is about 200 metres (656ft) below the summit. It is more a ruin than a bothy but it gave us a location to reach them.”

Using an Argocat all terrain vehicle the group were safely taken off the mountain, with the team returning to base at 5.30am today.

Police mountain rescue coordinator Inspector Matt Smith said: “Officers were called to reports of four people unable to find their way off Ben Macdui, Aviemore, at around 8pm on Monday May 23.

“The Mountain Rescue Team attended and the walkers were walked back down.”