3 people fall to their deaths while rock climbing in Washington state
Three people fell to their deaths Sunday while rock climbing in Washington state, likely because of an equipment failure, authorities said. A fourth climber in their group survived the ordeal.
The climbers were descending a steep gully in the northern section of Early Winter Spire, a pair of rock formations in the Cascades some 150 miles east of Seattle, the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
What caused the deadly fall at the popular climbing spot is still under investigation, but the sheriff said it appears the climbers' anchors failed as they were rappelling down the rock face. Rappelling is a technique climbers use to hoist themselves down a vertical drop, with a rope and belay.
Okanogan County sheriff's deputies were among the search and rescue crews who responded to the climbing accident at around 11:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, after the surviving climber extricated himself from the ravine and contacted law enforcement.
The others were pronounced dead at the site of their fall. Their bodies were recovered by a helicopter rescue team from nearby Snohomish County.
The helicopter's flight through 16 miles of rugged, mountainous terrain took longer than usual — about an hour — because of harsh weather, CBS affiliate KIRO reported. Video of the aerial recovery shared by KIRO showed the helicopter navigating blustery winds and fog as it made its way toward the climbers.
Authorities have not identified any of the climbers by name. The sheriff in Okanogan County said the three who died were 36, 47 and 63 years old, citing information from the coroner's office. They were originally from Renton, Washington.
"Our thoughts are with the family members and friends of those involved," the sheriff's office said.
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