A REVEREND in Northern Ireland has paid tribute to a member of his congregation who died following a fall on Scottish mountain Ben Nevis.
Rev. Garth Wilson, Minister of the Sandown Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast, said Samuel Crawford was 'one of the brightest lights in our congregation'.
The 28-year-old, from Newtownards in Co. Down, slipped and fell while climbing Britain's highest mountain with two friends on Tuesday, March 8.
He had been married just 18 months ago and he and his wife were expecting their first child.
Outpouring of grief
Ahead of Mr Crawford's funeral this coming Tuesday, Rev. Wilson paid tribute to the young man on his church's social media accounts.
"As Samuel's minister, I want to express my heartfelt sympathies to his dear wife Sophie, his parents, and his sisters," said Rev. Wilson.
"Little did I think when I said goodbye to him on Sunday night after church, that we would never see him again on this earth.
"First and foremost, Samuel was a Christian, saved and born again and living for Christ. He had a very strong and sincere faith in Christ.
"He was one of the brightest lights in our congregation in Sandown and we will miss him terribly.
"I had the joy of officiating at his wedding on September 15, 2020 and also had the great privilege of baptising both he and his wife Sophie last September.
"Samuel was a fantastic husband to Sophie and he would have been the best father to their little unborn child.
“He was also a great son and brother and was loved by so many.
"The outpouring of grief since Samuel's tragic death, shows just how much he was loved and so highly thought of by everyone."
Rescue effort
Mr Crawford was one of 24 people in different groups that got into difficulty during adverse conditions on the mountain on Tuesday.
They were aided by Lockbier Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT), search and rescue helicopters and a group of British Army personnel who were on the mountain at the time.
On Wednesday, LMRT said the previous five days had seen it called out to 12 incidents involving 26 casualties and three fatalities.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Crawford's death.
