TWO FRIENDS, AGED 19 AND 20, DIED LESS THAN A MILE FROM SNOWDON’S SUMMIT — NOW AN INQUEST HAS REVEALED A THREE-HOUR DELAY AFTER THEIR DESPERATE 999 CALL

Two young friends who travelled 270 miles for a mountain adventure tragically lost their lives in extreme winter conditions. Now, an inquest has heard a disturbing detail about their final emergency call — and why mountain rescuers were not alerted until three hours later.

Eddie Hill, 20, and Jayden Long, 19, died while climbing Mount Snowdon, also known as Yr Wyddfa, in North Wales, in February 2026.

Their bodies were discovered less than a mile from the summit following a major search operation involving mountain rescue volunteers and a coastguard helicopter.

But evidence presented at an inquest has raised serious questions about the emergency response.

A 999 CALL THAT DID NOT REACH RESCUERS FOR THREE HOURS

The inquest heard that Jayden made an emergency call from his mobile phone while the friends were stranded in severe winter weather on the mountain.

However, North Wales Police reportedly did not notify mountain rescue teams until approximately three hours later.

Philip Benbow, lead coordinator of Llanberis Mountain Rescue, told the hearing that his team initially received insufficient information about the location and circumstances of the abandoned emergency call.

He explained that the call had not been escalated as it should have been.

By the time rescuers were contacted on the evening of February 18, crucial hours had passed.

A DESPERATE SEARCH IN FREEZING CONDITIONS

The two friends had travelled approximately 270 miles before attempting their climb.

They were on Crib y Ddysgl, a high mountain ridge reaching approximately 3,494 feet, when they encountered dangerous conditions.

After receiving the delayed notification, mountain rescuers and a coastguard helicopter searched the pair’s last known location.

They were unable to find them that evening.

A wider search resumed the following morning, with mountain rescue teams and specialist search dogs joining the operation.

Shortly after 10.45am, rescuers discovered both young men’s bodies.

They had been found in what rescuers described as full winter conditions.

FAMILIES LEFT WITH DEVASTATING QUESTIONS

Eddie and Jayden were remembered as young men with hearts of gold.

Their deaths have left loved ones facing not only the pain of losing them but also difficult questions about whether the emergency response could have unfolded differently.

The inquest’s revelation about the three-hour delay has become a central concern.

However, the evidence reported so far does not establish whether an earlier rescue response would have saved their lives.

That distinction remains important as the circumstances surrounding the tragedy continue to be examined.

AN INQUEST EXAMINES WHAT WENT WRONG

The case has drawn attention to the importance of quickly passing emergency calls to specialist mountain rescue teams, particularly when callers may be exposed to freezing temperatures and dangerous terrain.

According to evidence presented at the hearing, the initial call was not escalated appropriately, leaving rescuers unaware of the potential emergency for hours.

As the inquest continues, further evidence may help establish exactly how the delay occurred and whether any opportunities to intervene were missed.

For the families of Eddie Hill and Jayden Long, one devastating question remains — what might have happened if mountain rescuers had received that first emergency call three hours earlier?