Body of skier buried by avalanche is found

Daniel Maddox, from Clackmannanshire, was skiing in an off-piste area behind Glencoe Ski Centre when the avalanche struck at about 1pm on Saturday.

The 41-year-old, who was said to be an experienced skier, was swept away and buried under the snow.

About 30 people from Glencoe and Lochaber mountain rescue teams, police, the mountain resort’s ski patrol and a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth were involved with the search, which resumed yesterday morning in the Etive Glades.

John Grieve, leader of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, said Mr Maddox was found under about 13ft of snow and ice.

“We are quite lucky to have found him actually,” he said. “We were digging through a mixture of snow, ice and stones that had come down so it was quite hard going.”

He said the teams had to dig trenches in order to find the skier, as the avalanche had travelled about 1,000ft into a gully and was up to 40ft deep in some places.

“We ended up with about 50 people out there, with the assistance of two walkers who helped us when we were digging the trenches.

“Two other skiers – who had actually been caught up in another avalanche in the same place a couple of years ago and survived – also came to help with the search, as well as the RAF Mountain Rescue Team from Lossiemouth.”