A view from a helicopter showing the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano after an accident involving climbers
KAMCHATKA:
Six people have died climbing the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Russia’s far east, and six others are believed to be stranded on Sunday after freezing winds hampered rescue efforts.
The group of 12, including two guides, began climbing the 4,754 meter (15,597 ft) volcano on Tuesday but ran into trouble on Saturday when some of the group fell to their deaths at a near height. 4,200 meters, authorities said.
One person is believed to have broken a leg, authorities said.
Rescuers tried to reach them on Sunday but had to turn around because high winds prevented their helicopter from landing.
“They were scheduled to land at 3,300 metres, but due to gusts of 30 meters per second (67 mph), they failed to do so, even though two attempts were made spaced apart. several hours,” the rescue team said. .
Temperatures in the mountains can drop to minus 14 degrees Celsius (7 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight.
Tatyana Yukhmanova, a representative of the local civil defense administration, said rescuers will try to reach the group again tomorrow if weather conditions permit.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the tallest of more than 160 snow-capped volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula.
It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its exceptional natural beauty.
Rescuers warned that the mountain, which is made up of mounds of volcanic rock mixed with snow and ice, is considered particularly dangerous for climbers due to its altitude and the risk of volcanic eruptions.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the syndication feed.)
