Three climbers died, one miraculously survived after 12 hours of calling for help

According to information from Okanogan County officials, the accident occurred on the evening of May 10 when a group of four people were on a mountain climbing trip in the Early Winters Spires area, in the North Cascades range (Washington state, USA).

This area is famous for its rugged terrain, sharp rocks and steep ravines, located about 257km northeast of Seattle.

While descending the mountain, the safety rope anchor system suddenly broke loose from the cliff, causing the group to fall freely. Specifically, the anchor device, a piton (a metal pin attached to the rock, used to secure the safety rope), was no longer secure, causing the group to fall about 60m down the steep ravine, then continue to roll another 60m before stopping.

The three dead were identified as Vishnu Irigireddy (48 years old), Tim Nguyen (63 years old) and Oleksander Martynenko (36 years old). The sole survivor was Anton Tselykh (38 years old).

Despite a head injury and internal bleeding, Tselykh extricated himself from the tangled gear and made his way down the mountain in the dark. After hours of traveling through treacherous terrain, he reached his car and drove to the nearest public phone to call for help. His total survival journey lasted at least 12 hours.

Sharing with the media, Mr. Dave Yarnell - Deputy Sheriff of Okanogan County - said: "This is an extraordinary journey. Despite being seriously injured, he still maintained his consciousness and determination to survive."

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Rescue workers at the scene (Photo: Okanogan County Sheriff's Office/AP).

The next morning, a three-person rescue team reached the scene using the GPS signals from the devices the climbers had brought with them. Due to the difficult terrain, helicopters were called in to retrieve each body.

Cristina Woodworth, head of the search and rescue team, said the accident was a rare serious accident. "For many years, falls like this that killed three people have been rare. Seven years ago, there was an accident that killed two people on El Capitan in Yosemite Park," she said.

When examining the scene, rescuers discovered a rusty, discolored piton still hooked to the climbing rope of the group of victims.

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Helicopters were dispatched to the scene to search for victims (Photo: Okanogan County Sheriff's Office/AP).

According to climbing expert Joshua Cole, using only one piton to rappel down a mountain is extremely risky. "Normally, climbers will have at least one secondary anchor point to prevent accidents. With old equipment and rapidly changing weather, the risk is very high," said Mr. Cole.

Tselykh remains hospitalized in Seattle. Officials say they have not been able to interview him to learn more about the accident and his miraculous survival in the mountains.

Early Winters Spires is one of the most popular climbing spots in Washington state. The group’s chosen route is of moderate difficulty, requiring riders to move smoothly across ice, snow, and rock.

However, according to experts, weather conditions here can change in just a few hours, causing the danger level to increase unexpectedly.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/ba-nguoi-leo-nui-tu-nan-mot-nguoi-song-sot-ky-dieu-sau-12-gio-cau-cuu-20250515002701520.htm