Surface hoar in Glencoe and other areas of the Highlands has led to high avalanche risk. Photo: euphbass

Two men have survived after digging themselves out of an avalanche after they were swept 610m (2,000ft) down a mountainside in Glencoe.

The two skiers from Edinburgh were caught in a major slide involving hundreds of tons of snow on the Cam Ghleann side of Meall a’ Bhùiridh, which is home to the Glencoe Mountain ski centre. A mountain rescue chief said the pair were very fortunate to survive.

Police were alerted about 9.25am today, Saturday, with reports that the two, aged 26 and 32, had been caught in an avalanche.

Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team went to the site, but faced danger from the masses of unstable snow on the mountain, with rescuers at risk of further avalanches.

A Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet searched the site and found the men, who had managed to dig themselves from the debris. It was the skiers themselves who rang 999.

The crew of a Royal Navy Sea King found the men and flew them to safety

The helicopter dropped them at the roadside and they were taken by ambulance to Belford Hospital, Fort William. One of the men was treated for a leg injury. Police said their injuries are not life threatening.

John Grieve, leader of the Glencoe MRT, said the men had managed to ride the avalanche as it slid down the mountainside. They had been near the summit of the 1,108m (3,635ft) peak when they were caught in a 200m-wide slide.

He told the BBC: “It was a big, big avalanche from which they are lucky to have survived. It took them 2,000ft down the hill and they virtually rode down on top of it most of the way down. That saved their lives.

“When they came to a halt they were partially buried, but amazingly dug each other out despite serious injuries.”

He said the pair were experienced skiers.

The incident happens just three days after two men lost their lives in an avalanche 5km (3 miles) away when descending from Buachaille Etive Mòr. Yesterday, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s mountain safety adviser Heather Morning and the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service put out a joint statement warning that whole of the Highlands were prone to a high avalanche risk.

The forecast risk for north-west facing slopes in Glencoe such as the one where today’s incident happened was rated as high for today, in effect the highest risk – the top risk, very high, very seldom being used in Scotland.

The SAIS observer reported: “The snow and strong winds have deposited additional windslab mainly on south-west to north-west aspects, and in other sheltered locations above 400m. In many locations the slab is particularly unstable because it overlies a weak layer of buried surface hoar crystals. Fresh cornices are also unstable.

“Care is required in the mountains this weekend due to the ongoing high avalanche hazard.”

Northern Constabulary said they would not be releasing any further details of the two men.