One climber killed, other group rescued after being trapped 15 hours on İzmir mountain

İZMİR – Doğan News Agency

AA Photo

One climber was killed after falling during a climb on Bozdağ Mountain in the Aegean province of İzmir on Feb. 8, while another group was rescued after being trapped on the mountain for 15 hours by harsh weather conditions.

Dürdane Seringenç fell 200 meters after slipping on icy ground while climbing to the peak. The woman, who was heavily wounded in the accident, was taken to Ege University Hospital by helicopter, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Nineteen members of the Mevsim Mountaineering Club decided to climb to the peak after attending a mountain festival held at an abandoned ski center on the weekend. The group was warned of a snowstorm by another group of climbers who were returning from the peak, but they proceeded to the top.

The climbers reached the peak, but the storm grew stronger on their descent. They became trapped on the mountain, as they could not find their way due to the snowfall and fog.

The group took shelter between two rocks to avoid the cold weather and called for help.

Following a 15-hour search, the trapped climbers were rescued on early Feb. 9 and were transferred to the district center. The climbers’ health was in good condition according to initial health checks, report said.

İzmir Governor Mustafa Toprak said the search and rescue operations were conducted on the ground because helicopters could not fly due to the limited visibility.

Toprak also criticized the group for climbing to the peak “like they were going to a picnic” without any measures, despite being aware of the snowy and potentially dangerous weather conditions.