FAMILY, friends and colleagues gathered to pay their respects to a popular RAF Valley officer who died in an avalanche.
The funeral of Squadron Leader Rimon Than, who was caught in an avalanche in the Cairngorms, was held at Bangor Cathedral.
Group Captain Adrian Hill, RAF Valley station commander, paid tribute to the site’s medical officer in a statement.
He said: “Squadron Leader Rimon Than was a truly outstanding Royal Air Force officer, doctor and personal friend.
“Everyone who had the pleasure of serving alongside him will attest to his absolute professionalism, displayed throughout his medical and Royal Air Force careers.”
Sqn Ldr Than was born in Burma in 1979. He initially joined the Royal Air Force as a medical cadet in 2001 and attended specialist entrant and re-entrant officer training at the RAF College at Cranwell in 2004.
He served at RAF High Wycombe and RAF Lyneham before he was assigned to RAF Valley in 2011.
Group Captain Hill added: “The loss of Sqn Ldr Than has been felt very deeply by all RAF Valley personnel and their families.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time.”
Wing Commander Ian Richardson, RAF Mountaineering Association chairman, said Sqn Ldr Than had recently returned from an expedition to the Sichuan Province of China.
He added: “Seemingly a quiet individual, Rimon had a wry sense of humour and an emphatically pragmatic outlook on all aspects of life.
“Devoted to his partner Claire, they lived a life of adventure together, as his holiday photos would testify.
“He will be sorely missed.”