A violent storm on Russia’s Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, has left five climbers feared dead. According to a climbing rescue service, the Bosnian climbers were caught in the storm on Sunday. Russian rescuers are continuing to search for the bodies.
Two other climbers from the group were saved from the storm and evacuated from the mountain to receive medical care, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported. The bodies of two further members of the same group have been located on the mountain at an altitude of 5,350 meters (17,550 feet) and will be evacuated when weather conditions allow. The search for the three other bodies is ongoing.
Mount Elbrus, which rises to 5,642 meters (18,510 feet) just north of the border with Georgia, is known for sudden changes in weather and climbing conditions. The dormant volcano is the tenth-most prominent peak in the world. A cable car system allows visitors to reach heights of 12,500 feet with relative ease, but the route to the summit is considered dangerous due to elevation and strong, gusty winds.
On average, between 15 and 30 people die every year on the mountain. The seven members of the climbing expedition were residents of the central town of Zenica in Bosnia, including a married couple and a doctor who worked at the local hospital. Adverse weather conditions, including strong winds, have complicated the search and recovery operations.
This incident is not the first to occur on Mount Elbrus this year. In January, a huge avalanche swept through a ski resort on the mountain, sending tourists fleeing in panic. The avalanche was captured on eyewitness footage, showing a cascade of snow tumbling down the mountainside.
