One of the largest missing person searches of recent times ended in tragedy when civilians and military personnel scouring the Angus glens for Marine Luke Ireland found his body.
The 20-year-old from Monifieth left his family at the Glen Clova Hotel on Thursday afternoon, indicating he was going for a run at nearby Loch Brandy but did not return.
His subsequent disappearance sparked a multi-agency search and rescue mission which had just entered its second 24 hours when a body was found.
The search was called off in the early afternoon on Friday when police confirmed the Arbroath-based marine’s body was discovered in the Glen Clova area soon after 1pm.
It is understood Marine Ireland was enjoying a period of leave following 45 Commando’s involvement in Operation Black Alligator in the US.
Marine Ireland left the hotel wearing a running vest and shorts.
It is thought he faced overnight temperatures of 4C and -11C with wind chill.
A spokesman for the police mountain rescue, Inspector Dorian Marshall, said the search had begun in the worst kind of weather with near “zero visibility”.
“The conditions, particularly overnight, were horrendous,” he said.
“Speaking to the guys on the ground, they were estimating (wind) speeds of 80mph, virtually zero visibility as well difficult conditions.
“My understanding is Luke went out for a run yesterday afternoon and unfortunately failed to return.
“We got a call yesterday afternoon, a search commenced and that continued through the night. It was a pretty extensive search, probably somewhere in the region of 150 square kilometres, stretching over to Glen Muick and Glen Mark along with Clova itself.”
The searchers included 160 marines from 45 and 42 Commando on the hills.
They were joined by members of the police mountain rescue teams, civilian mountain rescue members from Tayside, RAF mountain rescue from Lossiemouth and rescue dogs.
A helicopter was called out from Lossiemouth on Thursday but it had not been able to help due to adverse weather.
Following the initial night-time search by police and civilian mountain rescue teams, Royal Marines set up a large-scale sweep north of the hotel in the search for their missing comrade. Three truckloads of personnel arrived in the glen overnight and set up a base of operations.
Hopes were initially high for their comrade’s safe return but began to fade in the steady rain and unshifting mist.