WARNING: DISTRESSING VIDEO AND IMAGES – Mr Hong, 31, was part of a hiking group at Mount Nama in Sichuan province, China, when he slipped and fell to his death on September 25
A mountaineer tragically fell to his death while trying to take a selfie during a hike on a mountain in China.
The 31-year-old man was part of a hiking group at Mount Nama in Sichuan province. According to reports, the man, only identified as Mr Hong slipped near a crevasse after reportedly undoing his safety rope to take photos on the snowy mountaintop on September 25.
Witnesses said he was not using an ice axe and could not regain control as he fell 200 metres (650ft) down the mountain while the other hikers watched helplessly. Footage shared on social media shows the moment Mr Hong fell over the show and tumbled down the 5,588-metre peak.
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Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the victim was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His body has now been transported to the nearby Gongga Mountain Town. Mr Hong’s cousin claimed it was his first attempt to hike on the mountain.
The mountaineer slid more than 200m before falling onto rocky terrain at around 5,300m above sea level, as reported by Daily Goat. Officials from the Kangding Municipal Education and Sports Bureau said the group of hikers hadn’t reported their plans or obtained climbing permits.
A local official said Mr Hong had tripped over his crampons – metal spikes attached to hiking boots for walking on ice – but said his actions had breached safety rules. “If the crampons had not been removed and the rope had not been undone, this might not have happened,” the official said.
Personnel from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association also clarified that Mr Hong was not a professional guide, contrary to some online claims. Police are now investigating the tragic incident.
Earlier this year, a tourist died on a legendary rail line in Sri Lanka as she leaned out of the train to take a selfie. Olga Perminova, 53, hit a rock and suffered horrific head injuries, according to reports. The Russian traveller died later in hospital. She was seen in a pink dress leaning from the train moments before the tragedy.
She was on the Podi Menike train, famed for its spectacular scenery as it passes lush tea plantations, dense forests, mountainous terrains, and picturesque landscapes. Perminova “died after falling off the train when attempting to take a selfie while hanging from the train footboard between the Badulla and Hali Ela railway stations,” said a local report citing police. “The woman knocked against a rock, fell off the train and sustained severe injuries.”
The train was heading for Ella, home to the famous Nine Arches Bridge, on a line that has been called one of the world’s greatest rail experiences. She was given emergency treatment but died from her head injuries. She was part of a Russian tour group in Sri Lanka.
