Reservists from the Dutch Marine Corps saved a man stranded near the top of Ben Nevis in Scotland on Friday while out on a mountain patrol in bad weather conditions, the Dutch defence ministry has said.

The group was on the 1,345 metre high mountain as part of their training when they spotted a man, vaguely visible through the mist and snow. He was unable to walk, seemed confused and did not have a compass or map.

The marines wrapped him up in a warm coat and then set about improvising a stretcher, using a water-tight sleeping bag, ropes and a mat, and dragged him down the slope.

Once below the snowline the man could walk but police were called to make sure he was ok, the ministry said.

According to section commander sergeant Onno Lankhaar, the man was lucky to be found. “If we hadn’t spotted him, he wouldn’t have made it,” he said.

The reservists are currently on a mountain training exercise in Scotland with the British Royal Reserves, which includes mountain rescues. “On Friday they were able to put what they learned into practice,” the ministry said.

Ben Nevis is Britain’s highest mountain.