An Aberdeenshire community was in shock last night following the death of a mountaineer on one of the world’s highest peaks.
Roger Cookson of Banchory, is said to have suffered a heart attack just 1,640ft short of the summit of Aconcagua, Argentina – one of the world’s “seven summits”.
Last night, a Banchory local who knows Mr Cookson and wife, Jennifer, said she had seen him recently and he had looked full of life.
She said: “He seemed quite fit, I saw him going by the River Dee running quite a few times, I have only been here a year and I don’t know them very well.
“He was a good build. He was often out and about . He looked as though he had plenty of life about him.”
Director of trekking firm Lanko – which organised the expedition up the mountain – Osvaldo Carbajal, said he was “hopeful” his body could be recovered today.
After he took ill on the 22,837ft mountain, the biggest in the Americas, a friend accompanying him on the trip and the tour guide called for help.
Poor weather conditions then prevented a helicopter from being sent up after they brought his body to a nearby camp.
On Sunday night his body was at the Nido de Condores camp at 18,874ft, but is now believed to be at Base Camp, at 14,340ft.
It is thought Mr Cookson’s friend – also a work colleague – is now in the city of Mendoza.
Mr Cookson was said to be a helicopter pilot and it is thought the pair arranged the trip to the Andes through UK expedition company, Adventure Peaks.
Last night Mr Carbajal said: “Because it is a small helicopter, the weather is not really good for the helicopter, it can’t fly today. Hopefully tomorrow. We were waiting for the final information from the family.”
58-year-old Mr Cookson – said to be a father-of-two – was known to be a keen runner and an avid mountaineer.