Russia says it has found the bodies of five foreign climbers – believed to be Bosnian – on Mount Elbrus, authorities and state media say.
Authorities said earlier that out of a group of seven climbing Russia’s highest mountain, they had recovered two bodies and were searching for three more.
“According to investigators, on July 24 a group of seven climbers – foreign nationals – was climbing Mount Elbrus. The following evening, due to rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, the group strayed from the route,” the local prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.
It said one of the alpinists went down and told authorities that “two members of the group had fallen ill at an altitude of 5,100 metres and died”.
The statement added: “Subsequently, rescuers found another surviving climber and the bodies of three other climbers who had died.”
Bosnia’s foreign minister, Elmedin Konakovic, confirmed reports of the deaths, which he called “a major tragedy”.
Mount Elbrus, which rises to 5,642 metres just north of the border with Georgia, is infamous for sudden changes in weather and climbing conditions.
Bosnian media reported the seven members of the climbing expedition were residents of the central town of Zenica and included a married couple and a female doctor who worked at the local hospital.
Russian media reported that adverse weather conditions including strong winds had complicated the search and recovery operations.
With Reuters
