A British climber has died after he and a companion were caught in an avalanche while climbing a frozen waterfall in Norway.
Videos by Suggest
The man tragically lost his life in the disaster on February 21. However, his body was not recovered until February 25 due to severe weather conditions that hindered mountain rescue teams according to the BBC.
His companion, a man in his 30s, was airlifted to the hospital by helicopter. However, his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The Frozen Waterfall is Not a Common Climbing Spot for Adventurers
The duo had braved the icy slopes of the frozen waterfall known as The Gausta Marathon near Rjukan, only to find themselves trapped amidst a treacherous wall of ice and snow.
“The waterfall is about 17 rope lengths long and is the longest we have here,” local climbing guide Jørn Knustad explained, per the Mirror. “That is why it was originally named Gausta Marathon,” he added.
Knustad noted that the area where the pair made their claim is not a popular spot for adventurers. He noted the waterfalls in that region are time-consuming to climb.
“It is unlikely that they were poorly trained,” he explained. “They would hardly have embarked on such a trip. A snow and ice avalanche is the cause of this incident.”
Rescue of the Surviving Climber Following the Avalanche Proved ‘Very Complicated’
The survivor, also a British national, was rescued and airlifted to Ullevål Hospital. This followed a descent that took rescue teams “several hours,” according to officials.
“Prevailing weather conditions, avalanche danger and accessibility made it a very complicated and demanding task to get in and down to the climbers,” local emergency manager Tor Einar Bakken explained, per the BBC.
Temperatures in the disaster-stricken region plummeted to 21 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the incident, accompanied by heavy snowfall. Meanwhile, more snow is expected to blanket the area in the coming weeks.