A short announcement was made on this BBC Web Report on 5th June 2005 [cached version]

This was followed up by a second BBC Web Report on 6th June 2005 [cached version]

EverestNews.com reported the news in this Web Report on 5th June 2005 [cached version]

The formal press release gave the report of the Liaison Officer and the concerned trekking agency, that Rob Milne, a member of "Jagged Globe Everest Expedition 2005" team, died at the altitude of 8450m. on the way to the summit of Mt. Everest on 5th June 2005.

The Scotsman gave this report after speaking with Valerie Milne, Rob's wife. [cached version]

Rob was always so engaged with everyone he met in the business, academic, and corporate communities that he played such an active part in. This included the mountaineering community of course and a challenge he began over 25 years ago to climb the highest peak on each continent. His colleagues at the University of Edinburgh were assisting Rob by running his expedition web site and blog. We were also receiving regular progress reports from base camp to provide structured reporting against the plans which Rob gave us about his intended progress and milestone achievements during the climb. People across the world have been watching these, and even on the morning of the tragedy people were checking in as we were all so keen to see Rob succeed. This is very upsetting. Rob was doing something he loved. He will be missed by the international community which he played so vital a part of. Our thoughts are with his family and all the other friends who, along with ourselves, have been so much enriched by knowing Rob.
Memorial Service took place on Monday 20th June 2005 at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. [Memorial Booklet (PDF 3.2MB)] [Memorial Service Video Quicktime Stream, Windows Media, RealNetworks Video] Book of Remembrance ScotlandIS and Rob's colleagues in Intelligent Applications Ltd are collecting comments and tributes from colleagues and friends to make into a folio for Rob's family which will be combined with those on the Rob's Everest Blog which AIAI have maintained. If you'd like to contribute some words please let Polly Purvis at ScotlandIS have details and they will add them. Polly Purvis has also offered to forward postal mail directed at Rob Milne's family. Contact:          The Milne Family          c/o Polly Purvis          ScotlandIS          1 Michaelson Square          Kirkton Campus          Livingston EH54 7DP, UK Rob's Blog [or View the Comments Directly] Rob Milne Biographical Notes Rob Milne Everest 2005 Expedition Web Site Care for the Wild International is Rob's chosen charity for his expedition. It helps to protect and preserve tigers in the wild.

We are extremely sad to hear of the tragic death, on Everest, of Dr. Robert Milne. Rob was a pioneer of artificial intelligence applications, creating a successful company based in Livingston. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Scotland's national academy) and engaged with academics across Scotland. He has been a leader of scientific organisations concerned in his field across the UK, Europe and internationally. He will be sorely missed by colleagues in industry and academia alike. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Polly Purvis, Director of ScotlandIS, said:

Rob Milne was first and foremost an achiever, inspired and inspiring others not to be beaten by the challenges they faced. Vibrant, funny and a great friend, Rob was a leading member of the Scottish software community, an international expert in artificial intelligence, and a successful entrepreneur, who championed Scotland and Scottish software. Rob had been a director of the Scottish Software Federation, a judge of the Young Software Engineer awards, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His death is a great loss to Scottish software and I know the thoughts of his many friends and colleagues in Scotland's software community go out to his wife and children, and his parents in the States.