Avalanche: Three People Airlifted To Hospital

Three people have been rescued and airlifted to hospital after an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands, police said.

The three have been taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after mountain rescue teams carried out a search in the area.

Their condition is not known.

The avalanche was reported shortly after 12.30pm in the Chalamain Gap area of the Cairngorms.

Police were being assisted by members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, search and rescue dogs, RAF Lossiemouth's mountain rescue team and a helicopter.

Earlier this week, a hillwalker died during an expedition with a mountaineering club in the Cairngorms.

Graham Connell, 31, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, was found dead in the Jacob's Ladder area on Monday, after a large-scale search for him and five other people who were reported overdue on Sunday afternoon.

The other members in the party, who were unhurt, were picked up by an RAF rescue helicopter after being located by Braemar Mountain Rescue Team on a hill near Carn Tarsuinn.

Earlier this month, three men survived falling 150m in an avalanche in the Coire an t-Sneachda area of the Cairngorms.