At least seven climbers dead on Mt. Elbrus

[Alpinfox]

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Climbers found dead in Russia

Mount Elbrus

As the highest mountain in Europe, Mt Elbrus attracts many climbers

Rescuers have found the bodies of seven climbers from a group of 12 who went missing on Europe's highest peak, Mount Elbrus in southern Russia.

 

The bodies were found in the snow high on a mountain slope, officials said.

 

They were part of two groups who had set out to reach the top on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, reports say.

 

The eight Russians and four Ukrainians lost contact with the expedition organisers at the base of the mountain.

 

Map showing the Elbrus region

 

A member of one of the groups, said to have suffered frostbite and injuries, managed to reach rescuers.

 

On Monday, the climbers said by telephone the weather had worsened and that they were sheltering below the mountain's western summit, Itar-Tass news agency reports.

 

Rescuers are still searching for the other four climbers, officials said.

 

Mt Elbrus, near Russia's border with Georgia, soars to 5,642m (18,506ft). It lies in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.

 

The head of the republic's emergencies department, Kantemir Davydov, said the seven climbers who died had dug snow holes but the temperature had plunged to minus 50C since Monday.

 

[catbirdseat]

Damn! -50C. That's COLD.

[dalius]

Damn, that's a lot of people to freeze to death at once.

[crazy_t]

http://www.pilgrim-tours.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51

 

It's like a huge, higher altitude and colder way to camp Muir up there, with less landmarks and no shelter on most of the upper mountain. That's awful news.