Kintyre air crash victims had just scaled Ben Nevis

Tony Woodward, Bob Archer and Peter Ogilvie took 9.5 hours to complete the Ben Nevis challenge

Two men who died in a plane crash off the Kintyre peninsula had just completed an ascent of Ben Nevis for charity, it has emerged.

The bodies of Tony Woodward and Bob Archer were found with the wreckage of their plane after it failed to arrive in Carlisle on Thursday.

They had left Oban after completing the 9.5 hour fundraising challenge for the Shooting Star Chase children's charity.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is looking into the crash.

The alarm was raised after the light aircraft, which was being piloted by Mr Woodward, failed to reach its destination after taking off from Oban Airport at 11:30 on Thursday.

The crash happened about two miles off the coast, near Skipness.

Passionate fundraiser

The men, who were believed to be from Surrey, had taken part in the charity challenge with their friend, Peter Ogivie, on Tuesday.

He had written about their climb, saying the team were "hugely proud" of their achievement to raise more than £2,000 for the charity.

He said: "We marched and then struggled through relentless rain with plummeting temperatures. Below freezing at the top we were hit by freezing rain being blown by 45 KT winds."

In a statement posted on the Shooting Star Chase Just Giving page, Mr Woodward's family called his loss devastating.

The statement said: "After completing the epic journey up Ben Nevis, tragically Tony and one of the other walkers, Bob, died in a light aircraft crash on their way home.

"This was devastating news for all involved."

Tony Woodward had been piloting the plane when it came down near Kintyre

Air First Ltd, who taught Mr Woodward to fly, also paid tribute to him.

They said: "He had been piloting the plane himself having left Oban to go to Carlisle, the full details at this time are unknown.

"He had just completed the ascent to Ben Nevis prior to the accident with two friends raising money for Shooting Star Chase that he was extremely passionate about.

"We at Airfirst had the privilege of teaching Tony to fly to fulfil his dream of becoming a pilot.

"His passion, love and enthusiasm for flying was evident in his support and participation of school fly outs and social events."

The cause of the crash remains unknown.