A north-east climber has died during an attempt to scale the highest mountain in South America.
Roger Cookson was taken ill when he and his companion were 1,640ft short of the summit of Aconcagua in the Argentinian Andes.
The 58-year-old lived in Banchory with his wife Jennifer and it is believed the couple had a son and daughter.
It is understood Mr Cookson suffered a heart attack.
His friend and a tour guide who was with the pair called for help but rescue teams were unable to save him.
His body was carried to a nearby camp and it is believed it was still there last night as poor weather prevented a helicopter from bringing it down from the 22,837ft mountain.
Mr Cookson was an experienced mountaineer.
Hr is believed to have been a helicopter pilot, and it is though he was making his first attempt at climbing the peak.
Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside Asia and is one of the “seven summits” – the highest peak on each continent.
Last night, the Cairngorm Club, a mountaineering group of which Mr Cookson was a member, paid tribute to him.
Adrian Scott, the group’s training co-ordinator and former president, said: “I didn’t know him well but my view is Roger was one of the nicest men you would ever meet or wish to meet.
“The most recent memory of him is when he went to the assistance of an elderly lady who was having difficulty getting off the mountain during a trip to the Italian Dolomites.
“He will be missed, my wife cried when she told me. He was the absolute gentleman that we should all aspire to be.”
A spokesman for Lanko, the trekking firm which organised the trip Mr Cookson was on, said: “He was an experienced mountaineer and in good health. He didn’t have any illnesses.”
The Aconcagua tragedy was the first of the season, which started in November.
The mountain, which is part of the Andes range, is considered to be an easy one to climb from a technical point of view, but it is recommended that people acclimatise beforehand to guard against the potential impact of altitude sickness.
Several climbers die on the mountain each year.
In January 2009, four climbers and a guide died after they were caught in a storm shortly after reaching the summit.
Last night, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are aware of the death of a British national in Argentina and stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family.”