SOS

Rescue Underway as Nine Die Attempting to Climb Russian Volcano

Out of a climbing party of 12, five plunged to their death and an additional four—including a guide—have perished on the mountainside.

Rescuers continue their attempt to save three survivors stranded on a Russian volcano after nine other members of a climbing party died, the BBC reported on Monday. A group of 12 climbers, including two guides, began climbing Klyuchevskaya Sopka on the Kamchatka peninsula in late August. Peaking at 15,580 feet, Klyuchevskaya Sopka is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world. The climbing expedition has claimed nine lives, with five of them reportedly plunging to their deaths. Four others have died on the mountainside, including one of the guides. According to Russian state media, the remaining survivors are sheltering in a hut at about 10,800 feet as rescuers make their climb. The arduous conditions on the slope, and an incoming storm that could drop temperatures below seven degrees Fahrenheit, add to the difficulty of the rescue attempt. “The outcome of the search and rescue operation depends on the weather, ash clouds on the slopes, melting glaciers, mudflows and rockfalls,” Russia's Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief said. The survivors recently informed rescuers that they have food and fuel. Russian media has also reported that a criminal case has been launched into the deaths.

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Justin BaragonaSenior Media Reporter

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