Four rock climbers fell hundreds of feet as they descended on Washington’s granite spire, and only one survivor hiked to tell a 911 dispatcher that his companion was dead and he “least breathed” according to a recording obtained by the Associated Press on May 15.
Anton Tselykh, 38, suffered internal and head injuries after a plunge down an estimated 400 feet on the evening of May 10th. Until the morning of May 11th, more than a few dozen hours later, he had been calling 911 from a payphone in the community about 40 miles away.
“The whole team fell,” Tselykh told the dispatcher. “My face is very well beat, my hands and ribs. I can barely breathe.”
The respondent who finally met Tselykh reported a bruise on his head and reported that radio logs were leaking from his ears.
Here’s what we know so far about the accident and the overnight escape of Tselykh:
What causes the fall of climbers?
It was a Saturday afternoon, and as four climbers worked up the steep gully, they lightly shot snow into the snow at the early winter spires as they decided to turn around for a descent claiming three of their lives.
Along the way, they attached ropes to the pitons – metal spikes were used to smash rock cracks and ice, and secure the ropes – they had been placed by mountaineers of the past. When one of the men began rappelling from the Piton, it was torn off the mountain, sending all four ice and snow and rocks.
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“We basically just like all of us, we slid down to the bottom of the couloire and rolled down,” Tselykh told the 911 dispatcher. The Couloire is a pure gully running down the mountains.
After autumn, Tselykh lost consciousness.
Pitons are often left on the wall by climbers, allowing them to stay there for years or decades, and become safe over time. Joshua Cole, the guide and co-owner of North Cascade Mountain Guide, is usually a common practice to set up backup anchors among climbers.
However, it is still unknown if the four have backups.
How did the surviving mountaineers escape?
It is unclear why Tselykh survived the fall when Tselykh was not there, but he woke up to a rope tangle several hours later. It was dark outside, and he could only find two of his companion bodies in the darkness, and he told the 911 dispatcher “I was lucky to survive.”
Tselykh escaped himself from ropes, equipment and shards and trekked over rocks and snow. “There are basically no wild paths,” Tselykh explained about the dispatch. “I was able to get off very late.”
Police records show that upon reaching his car, Tselykh drove around 40 miles and at one point ran to the Guardrail. Arriving at Newhalem’s unincorporated community, Treef called 911 early Sunday.
He apologised to the dispatcher for his voice and said he could barely breathe. Despite suffering from brain trauma and other serious internal injuries, he told the dispatcher he doesn’t think he needs immediate medical assistance. “I feel alright, meaning there’s no need for an emergency,” he said.
The dispatcher asked him to stay so that Medic could check him out and authorities could receive his report. He was later admitted to the hospital.
By Wednesday morning he was in a satisfactory state at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. So, he wasn’t in the intensive care unit, UW Medicine spokesperson Susan Gregg said in an email.
Who were the climbers and how did their bodies recover?
Christina Woodworth, who leads the team, responded by three search and rescue teams following Tselykh’s call, using the coordinates of the GPS device that the climbers were carrying.
The three deceased climbers were identified as 48-year-old Vishnu Irigireddy. Tim Nuguen, 63; and Olexander Martinenko, 36. The rough terrain required helicopters to remove their bodies, Woodworth said.
The AP tried to contact some of the family members but received no response.
The four climbers were friends, some of whom had previously climbed together and appeared quite experienced, Tselykh added, “evidently influenced by this.”
Irigireddy was the vice president of engineering at The Fluke Corporation, Test Equipment Manufacturing Company’s statement on Wednesday.
“Vishnu is an extraordinary leader and his losses are deeply felt throughout our organization,” the statement read.
Martynenko’s wife, Olga, said in a Facebook post Tuesday that her husband, whom she called Alex, also left her son behind. She shared a link to fundraisers to help “at the most devastating time of our lives.”
“I can’t believe you’re gone, my love,” the post said.
Jesse Bedayn
