A FAMILY are attempting to come to terms with the death of their "dedicated and active" son who was killed while climbing Ben Nevis at the weekend.
Ben St Joseph, 22, of Mell Road, Tollesbury, fell at 11am on Saturday whilst walking Tower Ridge on Britain's highest mountain.
"Ben was an active, hard-working, committed medical student and we were very proud of him," said his father Andrew St Joseph, a cattle farmer on the Dengie.
"He had been commissioned to join the Royal Army Medical Corps when he had completed his medical cadetship at Bristol University, an exciting prospect for someone so dedicated and active.
"He was a very fit and experienced climber and had been on Ben Nevis before. He has climbed in the Andes and the Grampians and this climb was well within his capabilities.
"We don't know the exact details but we do know that Ben was within sight and sound of others when it happened," added Mr St Joseph, who flew to Scotland on Monday with wife Vivien.
Ben, pictured above, is thought to have been about 2,800 feet up the 4,409ft mountain, when he fell about 400 feet into Tower Gully, according to fellow climbers.
Members of the Lochabar Mountain Rescue Team said they believed the incident was not avalanche-related, despite the risk being "high" on Saturday morning.
Ben was also a popular member of the Officer Training Corps, hoping to serve as a doctor with the Army's airborne and special forces o.
Lt Col Ben Tomkins of the OTC said: "Ben was a hugely bright, popular, hard-working, and dedicated young officer.
"He was a great leader and never pushed anyone harder than he pushed himself."