What Happened in the Deadly Russian Volcano Accident?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- One climber dead following a fall in Kamchatka.
- Rescue operations involve over 40 personnel.
- Critical condition reported for another climber.
- Volcanic activity remains a concern in the region.
- Vilyuchinsky Volcano and Kronotsky Volcano are both active.
Moscow, Oct 4 (NationPress) Tragedy struck as one of three climbers fell from the slope of a volcano in Russia's Kamchatka Krai, resulting in a fatality, as confirmed by local authorities on Saturday.
Earlier reports indicated that the trio was ascending the Vilyuchinsky Volcano when the incident occurred. At 18:22 local time (0522 GMT), a helicopter carrying rescue teams and medical professionals was urgently dispatched to the site.
The Emergency Situations Ministry for Kamchatka Krai disclosed that the woman who fell alongside the deceased is currently in critical condition, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
Rescuers successfully reached the third climber, who was found unharmed on a high slope. The ministry stated, "Evacuation efforts are underway to bring her down to an altitude of 1,500 meters, where medical personnel from the Disaster Medicine Center are ready to assist."
Additionally, search-and-rescue teams and volunteers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky have joined the operation. The ministry noted, "Over 40 individuals are participating in the rescue efforts."
In a separate event, the Kronotsky volcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula erupted, releasing ash to a height of 9.2 kilometers above sea level on Saturday, as stated by local authorities.
The ash plume was reported at 11:50 am local time (2350 GMT Friday), extending approximately 85 kilometers to the south and southeast. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team shared this update on their Telegram channel.
A red aviation color code was issued due to significant hazards posed to local and international air traffic.
Located about 225 kilometers from the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and 10 kilometers east of Lake Kronotskoye, the Kronotsky volcano remains a focal point of attention.
On Friday, an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck the east coast of Kamchatka at 1607 GMT, as reported by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.
The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was preliminarily identified at 51.71 degrees north latitude and 159.79 degrees east longitude.