The trio of Croatian climbers were killed after they were overcome with falling snow on Sunday October 5 while on the peak which is part of the Julian Alps in the north-west of Slovenia
Three climbers have lost their lives in a tragic accident after they were carried away by a massive avalanche while attempting to conquer Mount Tosc in the Slovenian Alps.
The trio of Croatian climbers were killed after they were overcome with falling snow on Sunday October 5 while on the peak which is part of the Julian Alps in the north-west of Slovenia. The three were part of a larger group of seven friends who were sheltering in a refuge near the summit of the mountain, the trio reportedly chose to descend the mountain despite the terrible weather conditions.
Miha Arh, head of rescue operations, said: “Unfortunately, the three climbers died in an avalanche.” The bodies were found in a ravine 350 meters from the place where the snowslide struck.
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Search teams found the first body on Sunday night but the hunt for the others had to be called off due to the risk of other avalanches, endangering rescue teams. On Monday the weather had cleared enough to allow helicopters to take-off and search for the missing group, French news outlet La Depeche reported.
Weather is reportedly “particularly unstable” on Mount Tosc as a wave of cold air has descended on Slovenia accompanied by early snow and strong winds. Figures from the national mountain rescue association show that every year, about twenty people lose their lives in these extreme conditions.
The Julian Alps are a popular destination for mountaineers, renowned for their beauty and technical climbing challenges. However as this latest tragedy proves, the mountains can be deadly even for experienced climbers.
The Slovenian authorities have reminded mountain lovers to respect safety instructions and postpone any ascents as long as the risk of avalanche remains high. A moderate avalanche warning is in place for the region, currently at a Level 3 of the five levevls of the European avalanche risk table.
Meanwhile, the last 200 hikers stuck 16,000ft up Mount Everest have finally been reached by rescue teams after a brutal snowstorm stranded hundreds on the world ’s tallest peak.
Rescuers have already brought around 350 people to safety after hundreds were trapped when savage weather conditions pummeled the mountain from Friday to Saturday with heavy snow and rain stranding trekkers on the remote climb.
One hiker caught in the blizzard described the dangerous conditions those trapped on the mountain faced before rescuers came to their aid. Hiker Chen Geshuang said: “It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk… “
“The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly,” Chen added.