The news reports coming in over the past few days from the 5,019-meter-high Mishrigi in the Russian region of Kabardino-Balkaria in the North Caucasus are reminiscent of the severe avalanche disaster on 30 July on Broad Peak in Pakistan. Nine climbers, including six Nepalese men and one woman, lost their lives on that eight-thousander. The death toll on Mishrigi is even higher.
Little hope for five missing on Mishrigi
According to the Russian website mountain.ru, twelve bodies have now been found, and five more people are still missing.
Four days after the accident, hopes of rescuing them alive are virtually nil. More than 50 Russian rescue workers are continuing to search for the missing with eight helicopters.
Six injured rescued
The victims were part of a group of over 30 people participating in an ice climbing course. Last Sunday, a massive avalanche struck the 5,000-meter peak. More than half of the group had no chance of escaping the masses of ice and snow. Ten course participants were able to descend on their own after the avalanche, and six injured people were rescued and taken to hospitals.
