The man fell on the route to the Devil's Kitchen in Cwm Idwal. Photo: Dudley Smith CC-BY-SA-2.0

A man has died after falling more than 300ft from a Snowdonia mountain.

The man, in his late 30s and from London, fell on to the path leading to the Devil’s Kitchen on Glyder Fawr on Saturday.

The fall was witnessed by a group walking down the path from the Glyderau between Llyn y Cŵn and the Devil’s Kitchen in Cwm Idwal.

A major operation involving two mountain rescue teams and an RAF Sea King helicopter was mounted but the man did not survive his injuries.

The Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation was called out shortly after 6pm on Saturday after the walking party called 999.

Chris Lloyd of the volunteer rescue team said: “A small group of walkers was descending after a day on the Glyders and were looking forward to a birthday party and reunion celebration in the Waterloo Hotel, Betws y Coed.

“As they descended the ramp, a person arrived from out of nowhere and crashed into the ground. He had probably fallen between 75m and 100m.

“The man suffered severe injuries not compatible with life.

“The woman in the party went to examine the casualty and the 999 call was made.”

It was the second major callout of the day for the team, whose members had dealt with a freak climbing accident earlier on Saturday when a man’s lower leg was amputated by a falling rock on Pen yr Ole Wen.

Mr Lloyd said: “For the second time in the day, a large rescue party made up of a dozen OVMRO members and 10 members of RAF Valley MRT, who were staying in the Ogwen valley for the weekend, made their way up to the footpath from the bottom of the Devil’s Kitchen to Llyn y Cŵn.

“The party who had witnessed the incident walked off and the woman was taken to Oggi Base for de-briefing.”

Rescuers requested a helicopter from RAF Valley to help in the operation. Mr Lloyd said: “22 Squadron was called, but due to the close proximity to the rock face, they couldn’t winch.

“They ferried troops and kit up to the back of the cwm.

“The stretcher party loaded the casualty and then made the difficult carry down the steep boulder field beneath the Kitchen. The excellent path has not been constructed for stretcher parties, so it was a slow process.

“Meanwhile, the yellow Sea King sat with rotors running at the back of the lake.

“Once the casualty had been brought to a position where the aircraft could winch, the Sea King carefully flew up and into the small amphitheatre below the Kitchen.

“With lights shining on the rock to check for the tail rotor and more lights checking for the main rotor disc and more lights illuminating the ground ahead and below, the helicopter was able to hover about 10m above the stretcher party.

“At about 9pm, the casualty was winched aboard and flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.”

Team members then made their way back to their base.