Algeria crisis: hostage alive 'until the end' was British speed skier It's horrific to think all of these innocent people have been murdered just to make a political point. It's barbaric. I know the family will be absolutely distraught. Carson, like his dad, was a true gentleman. I know he was a really keen diver and he had a bit of a taste for adventure, travelling to exotic places and so on. Mr Bilsland was an experienced free-diver, had previously worked as a ski instructor at Glenshee, not far from his family home, and was a former member of the British speed ski team. A spokesman for the British Speed Ski Team said: "It is a very sad day for British speed skiing. Carson Bilsland, an intermittent speed skier from the late 80s until mid 2000s, was killed in the Algerian hostage crisis. He was a hostage until the end when the Algerian special forces stormed a workshop with their no-negotiation strategy. I'm sure he wouldn't have given an inch. Carson was one of life's indomitable characters. He will be sorely missed but very fondly remembered. So many memories, almost all of them hilarious. Mark Poncin, a former speed skiing team mate, paid tribute to the Scot on Facebook, saying: "To my old friend crazy red hair Carson who we shared so many races together and good times in speed skiing, you will be so sadly missed and my heart goes out to his family and friends for his tragic death. My thoughts will be with you and a prayer will be said for you Carson at Vars at the world championships. Murray Gordon, a former ski-ing colleague, said he was "always up for a laugh," adding: "He was a very popular instructor and just a really nice guy. Obviously, he moved on from skiing and into the oil industry and I understand he was really enjoying that. John Swinney, Scotland's finance minister and the MSP for Perthshire North, wrote on Twitter: "Deeply saddened that one of my constituents has not survived the Algerian hostage incident. My thoughts to his family at this terrible time. Mr Bisland is the second Scottish victim of the atrocity, along with Kenneth Whiteside, 59, who was originally from Fife but had lived in South Africa for many years.