A 28-year-old man has died in a climbing accident on Ben Nevis.

During the incident, mountain rescue teams had to launch a major operation to extricate 17 people who had become stuck on the peak.

The man’s death brings the number of fatalities in the Scottish Highlands to three in a week.

Emergency services were called to the 4,400ft mountain at about 2.15pm on Tuesday after reports of a number of people in difficulty, with members of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team involved in the operation.

Two other men, a 29-year-old and a 37-year-old, were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

A Police Scotland spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, and a report would be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

His death is the third in the Highlands since Saturday, a spokesman for the mountain rescue team said, with teams called out 12 times since the start of the weekend to rescue 26 people.

“It would be remiss if we didn’t stress just how important it is to be adequately prepared for winter in the hills,” the mountain rescue spokesman said.

“Having the ability to competently navigate with map and compass as well as having and being able to use crampons and axe are vital skills to have if you’re venturing into the hills.”