Climber fell to his death from RAF helicopter after 'rescue rope was cut before he could be saved'

A crew member on an RAF Sea King is believed to have cut a rope carrying an injured climber they were trying to rescue.

Mark Phillips, 51, a council worker from Spean Bridge, Lochaber, was killed when he fell during the rescue operation after being involved in an accident on Ben Nevis.

He was climbing with a friend when he fell 160ft from Raeburn's Buttress on the north face of the 4,406ft peak on Monday.

He survived the initial accident but when a team from Lossiemouth tried to winch him to safety the wire was allegedly cut and he died, according to the Scottish Herald.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285271/Climber-fell-death-RAF-helicopter-rescue-rope-cut-saved.html#ixzz2M7LbRdUP