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| Second British climber identified | Second British climber identified |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The second British man who died in an ice-climbing accident in the French Alps, alongside record-breaking climber Rob Gauntlett, has been named. | The second British man who died in an ice-climbing accident in the French Alps, alongside record-breaking climber Rob Gauntlett, has been named. |
| The Foreign Office identified him as James Atkinson, 21, of Sussex. | The Foreign Office identified him as James Atkinson, 21, of Sussex. |
| Mr Gauntlett, 21, of Petworth, West Sussex, climbed Mount Everest when he was just 19 in 2006 - making him the youngest person to achieve the feat. | |
| A friend of the pair, climber James Hooper, has paid tribute, describing Mr Gauntlett as "inspirational". | A friend of the pair, climber James Hooper, has paid tribute, describing Mr Gauntlett as "inspirational". |
| Mr Gauntlett and Mr Atkinson died after falling on a route on the east face of Mont Blanc. | Mr Gauntlett and Mr Atkinson died after falling on a route on the east face of Mont Blanc. |
| Mr Hooper, 21, who climbed Everest with Mr Gauntlett in 2006, said his friend had packed his short life full of incredible experiences. | Mr Hooper, 21, who climbed Everest with Mr Gauntlett in 2006, said his friend had packed his short life full of incredible experiences. |
| He also paid tribute to Mr Atkinson, a Durham University student, saying he was a "top guy" who was highly motivated about his outdoor pursuits. | He also paid tribute to Mr Atkinson, a Durham University student, saying he was a "top guy" who was highly motivated about his outdoor pursuits. |
| Best friend | Best friend |
| Mr Hooper, who was on holiday with the men in a group of four when the accident happened, said: "Rob and I have been best friends since we were 15 and so we obviously know each other really well and have been on lots of expeditions together. | Mr Hooper, who was on holiday with the men in a group of four when the accident happened, said: "Rob and I have been best friends since we were 15 and so we obviously know each other really well and have been on lots of expeditions together. |
| "He was practically a brother to me. I'm obviously devastated but I'm just trying to remember the fact that he was a wonderful person and he inspired me and others in so many different ways." | "He was practically a brother to me. I'm obviously devastated but I'm just trying to remember the fact that he was a wonderful person and he inspired me and others in so many different ways." |
| Mr Hooper, from Wellington, Somerset, said: "Rob was so ambitious and driven to get the most of life and have the best experiences. He really pushed himself as hard as he could. | Mr Hooper, from Wellington, Somerset, said: "Rob was so ambitious and driven to get the most of life and have the best experiences. He really pushed himself as hard as he could. |
| "It was only because he was such a motivated and driven person that the accident happened, but those were the qualities that made him so incredible. | "It was only because he was such a motivated and driven person that the accident happened, but those were the qualities that made him so incredible. |
| We can only take consolation that he died doing something that he loved Nicola GauntlettDead climber's mother | We can only take consolation that he died doing something that he loved Nicola GauntlettDead climber's mother |
| "I certainly wouldn't have been able to have achieved any of it without Rob. We worked as a team and without him we wouldn't have been able to do it. | "I certainly wouldn't have been able to have achieved any of it without Rob. We worked as a team and without him we wouldn't have been able to do it. |
| Speaking of James, Mr Hooper said: "He was a fantastic guy. He was in the year below Rob and I at school but was very keen. He loved climbing and he loved cycling and he has been a great friend of ours for many years." | Speaking of James, Mr Hooper said: "He was a fantastic guy. He was in the year below Rob and I at school but was very keen. He loved climbing and he loved cycling and he has been a great friend of ours for many years." |
| He said he and Mr Gauntlett had split up to go climbing with their two less experienced friends on Saturday. | He said he and Mr Gauntlett had split up to go climbing with their two less experienced friends on Saturday. |
| "Rob and James went off to do a route and my friend and I looked at a route, but didn't like the look of the weather so we decided not to," he said. | "Rob and James went off to do a route and my friend and I looked at a route, but didn't like the look of the weather so we decided not to," he said. |
| "Then the weather suddenly cleared up but by that time it was too late for us to start our route and we decided to come down. Then Rob and James stayed up there and they were trying to do a big route yesterday morning and fell." | "Then the weather suddenly cleared up but by that time it was too late for us to start our route and we decided to come down. Then Rob and James stayed up there and they were trying to do a big route yesterday morning and fell." |
| Mr Gauntlett's parents, Nicola and David have arrived in Chamonix, a French town near the mountain. | Mr Gauntlett's parents, Nicola and David have arrived in Chamonix, a French town near the mountain. |
| Speaking on Saturday night, Mrs Gauntlett said: "We are all just devastated. He's far too young to die. We had spoken about something like this happening only recently," she said. | Speaking on Saturday night, Mrs Gauntlett said: "We are all just devastated. He's far too young to die. We had spoken about something like this happening only recently," she said. |
| "We can only take consolation that he died doing something that he loved." | "We can only take consolation that he died doing something that he loved." |
| 'Follow your dreams' | 'Follow your dreams' |
| Mr Gauntlett and Mr Atkinson have been remembered at services at St Mary's Church, Petworth, West Sussex, Mr Gauntlett's home town. | Mr Gauntlett and Mr Atkinson have been remembered at services at St Mary's Church, Petworth, West Sussex, Mr Gauntlett's home town. |
| The Very Reverend Michael Till, said: "We remembered them and the wonderful fact that young people put themselves at risk doing what they do. | The Very Reverend Michael Till, said: "We remembered them and the wonderful fact that young people put themselves at risk doing what they do. |
| "This is very tragic news but what a wonderful life [Mr Gauntlett] enjoyed, however short it turned out to be." | "This is very tragic news but what a wonderful life [Mr Gauntlett] enjoyed, however short it turned out to be." |
| Mr Gauntlett and Mr Hooper became the youngest Britons to climb Everest in May 2006. | Mr Gauntlett and Mr Hooper became the youngest Britons to climb Everest in May 2006. |
| Speaking from the summit he had said: "James and I are really keen on getting the message out to young people to follow your dreams. | Speaking from the summit he had said: "James and I are really keen on getting the message out to young people to follow your dreams. |
| "This has been our dream for three years. Get out there, follow it up and make sure you make it happen." | "This has been our dream for three years. Get out there, follow it up and make sure you make it happen." |
| In November 2008 the pair were named National Geographic 2008 Adventurers of the Year at the society's base in Washington DC. | In November 2008 the pair were named National Geographic 2008 Adventurers of the Year at the society's base in Washington DC. |
| The accolade was in recognition of a 22,000-mile journey using only human and natural power from the Magnetic North to the Magnetic South Poles to raise awareness of climate change. | The accolade was in recognition of a 22,000-mile journey using only human and natural power from the Magnetic North to the Magnetic South Poles to raise awareness of climate change. |