Eight tourists killed on active volcano after horror plunge at 14,000ft as icy 70mph gales delay chopper rescue | The Sun
EIGHT tourists have died attempting to climb an active volcano after part of a group plunged 14,000ft to their deaths.
Several of the party remain stranded on the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Russia's far east as 70mph gales hamper rescue efforts following the horror fall on Saturday.
The group of 12 – including two guides – set off to climb the 15,597ft volcano on Tuesday but ran into trouble on Saturday when six of them plummeted 14,00ft to their deaths, authorities said.
One person is also thought to have a broken leg, authorities added.
Six people were left stranded – but icy conditions and strong winds have delayed the rescue efforts.
Two more people have since died as crews battle to get to them, Roman Vasilevsky, Kamchatka territory's deputy prime minister, told Interfax news agency.
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His information came from a guide, who was communicating from the volcano by satellite phone.
Emergency crews attempted to reach the stricken group on Sunday but had to turn back as severe winds prevented their helicopter from landing.
Rescuers said: "They were scheduled to land at an altitude of 3,300 metres, but due to gale force winds at 67 miles per hour, they failed to do so, although two attempts were made a few hours apart."
Temperatures on the mountain can reach as low as minus 14C overnight.
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Tatyana Yukhmanova, a representative from the local civil defence authority, said that rescuers will try to reach the group again today if weather conditions allow.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the tallest of over 160 volcanoes whose snowy peaks tower over Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
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