Three climbers have died and two have been injured after an avalanche on the Ben Nevis mountain in Scotland.
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene.
One of the climbers injured in the avalanche, who was taken off the mountain, subsequently died.
The other has been airlifted to hospital.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "Police were informed that the avalanche had occurred in Number 5 Gully area at around 11:50am."
She confirmed that mountain rescue volunteers were being assisted by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Scottish Ambulance Service.
An air ambulance, three ambulances and a trauma team were sent to the scene.
Tuesday's avalanche hazard was high, according to the Scottish Avalanche Information Service.
The red alert indicates that "natural and human triggered avalanches will occur. In some cases, numerous large, often very large sized natural avalanches can be expected".
Earlier Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the news "tragic" in a Twitter post.
"My thoughts are very much with the bereaved and injured.
"And my gratitude as always for the work of our emergency services, Mountain Rescue and Coastguard", she said.
This is absolutely tragic news. My thoughts are very much with the bereaved and injured. And my gratitude as always for the work of our emergency services, Mountain Rescue and Coastguard. https://t.co/h348CWRzgx
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) March 12, 2019
It is not the first incident to occur on the mountain this winter.
On New Year's Day, a German woman died after falling 500ft whilst climbing the Ledge Route, and in December a student from Cardiff University died after falling in the Tower Gully part of the mountain.
Ben Nevis, near Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, is 1345m (4,413ft) above sea level and a popular challenge for climbers.
Main image: File photo of a Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter searching Ben Nevis in Scotland | Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire/PA Images
