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Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
What to Know About the 400-Foot Fall That Killed 3 Climbers and the Sole Survivor Who Trekked Out
Four rock climbers fell several hundred feet while descending granite spires in Washington, leaving only one survivor who hiked out and told a 911 dispatcher that his companions were dead and he could 'hardly breathe,' according to a recording obtained on May 15 by The Associated Press. Anton Tselykh, 38, had plummeted an estimated 400 feet on the evening of May 10, suffering internal injuries and head trauma. By the morning of May 11, more than a dozen hours later, he was calling 911 from a payphone in a community some 40 miles away. 'The whole team went down,' Tselykh told the dispatcher. 'My face is very well beaten, hands and my ribs, I can hardly breathe.' Responders who eventually met Tselykh reported bruises on his head and fluid leaking from his ears, according to radio logs. Here's what we know so far about the accident and Tselykh's overnight escape. What Caused the Climbers' Fall? It was a Saturday afternoon and lightly snowing on the Early Winters Spires when the four climbers, working their way up a steep gully, decided to turn around for a descent that would claim three of their lives. On their way down, they attached their ropes to a piton—a metal spike pounded into rock cracks or ice and used to secure ropes—that had been placed by a past climber. As one of the men began rappelling off the piton, it ripped out of the mountain, sending all four plummeting past ice and snow and rock. Related Stories 4/25/2025 4/7/2025 'We basically slid and rolled down, like all of us, to the bottom of the couloir and a little bit lower,' Tselykh told the 911 dispatcher. A couloir is a sheer gully that runs down a mountain. After the fall, Tselykh lost consciousness. Pitons are oftentimes left in walls by climbers and can stay there for years or even decades, becoming less secure over time. Typically, it's common practice among climbers to set up a backup anchor, said Joshua Cole, a guide and co-owner of North Cascades Mountain Guides. But it's still unclear whether the four had a backup. How Did the Surviving Climber Escape? It's unknown why Tselykh survived the fall when the others didn't, but he awoke several hours later in a tangle of ropes. It was dark outside, and he could only find two of his companions' bodies in the dark, he told the 911 dispatcher, saying, 'I was lucky to survive.' Tselykh extricated himself from the ropes, equipment, and debris, and trekked over rock and snow—with help from a pick-like ice tool—down the mountain. 'There is no trail, basically wild,' Tselykh described to dispatch. 'I was able to descend very slow.' Arriving at his car, Tselykh drove some 40 miles and, at one point, ran into a guardrail, according to police records. Arriving in the unincorporated community of Newhalem, Tselykh called 911 early Sunday. He apologized to the dispatcher for his voice and said he could barely breathe. Despite suffering brain trauma and other serious internal injuries, he told the dispatcher that he didn't think he needed immediate medical help. 'I feel OK, I mean, I don't need emergency,' he said. The dispatcher asked him to stay were he was so that medics could check him out and authorities could take his report. He was later hospitalized. By Wednesday morning, he was in satisfactory condition at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, meaning he was not in the intensive care unit, Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for UW Medicine, said in an email. Who Were the Climbers and How Were Their Bodies Recovered? A three-person search and rescue team responded following Tselykh's call, using coordinates from a GPS device the climbers had been carrying, said Cristina Woodworth, who heads the team. The three deceased climbers were identified as Vishnu Irigireddy, 48; Tim Nguyen, 63; and Oleksander Martynenko, 36. The rough terrain required a helicopter to remove their bodies, Woodworth said. The AP made attempts to reach several of their family members, but has not heard back. The four climbers were friends, some of whom had climbed together before and appeared fairly experienced, Woodworth said, adding that Tselykh was 'obviously very much affected by this.' Irigireddy was a vice president of engineering at the Fluke Corporation, a test equipment manufacturing company, which released a statement Wednesday. 'Vishnu was an extraordinary leader, and his loss is felt profoundly across our organization,' the statement read. Martynenko's wife, Olga, said Tuesday in a Facebook post that her husband, whom she referred to as Alex, also left behind their son. She shared a link to a fundraiser to help 'during the most devastating time of our lives.' 'I still cannot believe that you are gone, my love,' the post said. By Jesse Bedayn
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Survivor of Deadly 400-Foot Fall Recalls His Friends Going 'Down' in 911 Call, Says He Could 'Hardly Breathe' After
A man who survived a 400-foot fall in a climbing accident that killed three of his friends traveled to a payphone 40 miles away to call 911 "The whole team went down," Anton Tselykh told the 911 dispatcher, according to reports The fall occurred in Washington's North Cascades National Park on Saturday, May 10A man who survived a 400-foot fall in a climbing accident that killed three others told a 911 dispatcher that he could "hardly breathe' after he drove more than 40 miles to call for help, according to reports. The tragic fall occurred in Washington's North Cascades National Park on Saturday, May 10 when four people attempted a summit of Early Winter North Spire, ABC News Radio affiliate KOMO News reported. In a Facebook update posted on May 13, the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office identified the three deceased victims as Vishnu Irigireddy, 48, of Renton; Tim Nguyen, 63, of Renton; and Oleksander Martynenko, 36, of Bellevue. The surviving victim is Anton Tselykh, 38, of Seattle. The lone survivor was able to confirm details of the accident that county officials had suspected. 'The group had encountered bad weather and had decided to descend," Cristine Woodworth, an Okanogan County Search and Rescue coordinator, told KOMO News. "And they were repelling when they had some sort of anchor failure.' The four climbers were on the same piton, an anchor in the rock used by climbers, that had been left behind by previous mountaineers, the outlet reported. As the sun was setting and bad weather loomed, the group decided to return to the base of the summit. They fell at around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, Tselykh told the official, according to KOMO News. After Tselykh fell, he lost consciousness for hours and then hiked three-quarters of a mile to his vehicle. He called for help from a payphone in Newhalem, more than 40 miles away. 'The whole team went down,' Tselykh said in the 911 call, according to the Associated Press. 'My face is very well beaten, hands and my ribs, I can hardly breathe.' According to radio logs reviewed by the AP, first responders saw that Tselykh had bruises on his head and fluid was coming out of his ears. Even though Tselykh had brain trauma and concerning internal injuries, he told the dispatcher that he didn't need medical assistance. He was told to wait for authorities and responders to arrive. He was later taken to the hospital, according to the AP. Susan Gregg, a spokesperson for UW Medicine, tells PEOPLE that Tselykh "is in satisfactory condition (not in ICU) at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle." She adds, "He has decided to focus on his recovery right now so is not doing media interviews at this time." The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further comment. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Tselykh was only able to find two of his friends' bodies in the dark, he told the 911 dispatcher. 'I was lucky to survive,' he said during the call, per the AP. The victims were were removed from the mountains by helicopter because of the difficult terrain. Woodworth said that some of the climbers seemed pretty experienced. However, it's not known if a backup anchor was used during the group's descent. Some of the friends had climbed together before, she told the AP. The survivor was 'obviously very much affected by this,' Woodworth added. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Survivor of Deadly 400-Foot Fall Recalls His Friends Going 'Down' in 911 Call, Says He Could 'Hardly Breathe' After
A man who survived a 400-foot fall in a climbing accident that killed three of his friends traveled to a payphone 40 miles away to call 911 "The whole team went down," Anton Tselykh told the 911 dispatcher, according to reports The fall occurred in Washington's North Cascades National Park on Saturday, May 10A man who survived a 400-foot fall in a climbing accident that killed three others told a 911 dispatcher that he could "hardly breathe' after he drove more than 40 miles to call for help, according to reports. The tragic fall occurred in Washington's North Cascades National Park on Saturday, May 10 when four people attempted a summit of Early Winter North Spire, ABC News Radio affiliate KOMO News reported. In a Facebook update posted on May 13, the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office identified the three deceased victims as Vishnu Irigireddy, 48, of Renton; Tim Nguyen, 63, of Renton; and Oleksander Martynenko, 36, of Bellevue. The surviving victim is Anton Tselykh, 38, of Seattle. The lone survivor was able to confirm details of the accident that county officials had suspected. 'The group had encountered bad weather and had decided to descend," Cristine Woodworth, an Okanogan County Search and Rescue coordinator, told KOMO News. "And they were repelling when they had some sort of anchor failure.' The four climbers were on the same piton, an anchor in the rock used by climbers, that had been left behind by previous mountaineers, the outlet reported. As the sun was setting and bad weather loomed, the group decided to return to the base of the summit. They fell at around 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, Tselykh told the official, according to KOMO News. After Tselykh fell, he lost consciousness for hours and then hiked three-quarters of a mile to his vehicle. He called for help from a payphone in Newhalem, more than 40 miles away. 'The whole team went down,' Tselykh said in the 911 call, according to the Associated Press. 'My face is very well beaten, hands and my ribs, I can hardly breathe.' According to radio logs reviewed by the AP, first responders saw that Tselykh had bruises on his head and fluid was coming out of his ears. Even though Tselykh had brain trauma and concerning internal injuries, he told the dispatcher that he didn't need medical assistance. He was told to wait for authorities and responders to arrive. He was later taken to the hospital, according to the AP. Susan Gregg, a spokesperson for UW Medicine, tells PEOPLE that Tselykh "is in satisfactory condition (not in ICU) at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle." She adds, "He has decided to focus on his recovery right now so is not doing media interviews at this time." The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further comment. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Tselykh was only able to find two of his friends' bodies in the dark, he told the 911 dispatcher. 'I was lucky to survive,' he said during the call, per the AP. The victims were were removed from the mountains by helicopter because of the difficult terrain. Woodworth said that some of the climbers seemed pretty experienced. However, it's not known if a backup anchor was used during the group's descent. Some of the friends had climbed together before, she told the AP. The survivor was 'obviously very much affected by this,' Woodworth added. Read the original article on People
Toronto Sun
15-05-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
Sole survivor of 400-foot rock climbing fall told 911 he could 'hardly breathe'
Published May 15, 2025 • 1 minute read The Okanogan County Search and Rescue team responds to a climbing accident in the North Cascades mountains in Washington on Sunday, May 11, 2025. Photo by Okanogan County Sheriff's Office / AP A rock climber who survived a long fall that killed his three companions hiked back to his car despite serious injuries and told a 911 dispatcher that he could 'hardly breathe,' according to a recording obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Anton Tselykh and his climbing partners were descending a gully between towering granite spires in Washington's North Cascades mountains on Saturday evening when an anchor securing their ropes tore out the rock. All four plummeted hundreds of feet. Tselykh lost consciousness and awoke several hours later in a tangle of ropes. He managed to trek to his car over snowy and rocky terrain and drive about 40 miles (64 kilometers) to the unincorporated community of Newhalem, where he called 911 early Sunday. He apologized to the dispatcher for his voice and said he could barely breathe. He reported that three of his companions had been killed in the fall, but he could only find two of their bodies in the dark. 'The whole team went down,' Tselykh said. 'We basically slid and rolled down, like all of us, to the bottom of the couloir and a little bit lower.' A couloir is a sheer gully that runs down a mountain. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Despite suffering brain trauma and other serious internal injuries, he told the dispatcher that he didn't think he needed immediate medical help. 'My face is very well beaten, hands and my ribs, I can hardly breathe,' said Teslykh. 'But I feel OK, I mean, I don't need emergency.' The dispatcher asked him to stay were he was so that medics could check him out and authorities could take his report. He was later hospitalized. By Wednesday morning, he was in satisfactory condition at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, meaning he was not in the intensive care unit, Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for UW Medicine, said in an email. Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs World Columnists Editorial Cartoons
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Who was Vishnu Irigireddy? Indian-origin techie killed in Washington's North Cascades in climbing accident
Vishnu Irigireddy, a 48-year-old Indian-origin tech executive based in Seattle, lost his life in a climbing accident in Washington state's North Cascades last weekend. Vishnu, vice president of Engineering at Fluke Corporation and an experienced mountaineer, was scaling the North Early Winters Spire with three friends when they suddenly fell. Tim Nguyen (63), Oleksander Martynenko (36), Anton Tselykh (38), and Vishnu were climbing in the popular Liberty Bell group area of the Cascades when they spotted an incoming storm and decided to descend. A climbing website reported that during their retreat, the team's anchor point gave way, causing three of them to fall approximately 200 feet. ALSO READ| Who is Nick Galante? New Jersey firefighter divorces wife at birthday party, video viral Only Tselykh survived the fall. He sustained serious injuries, including internal bleeding and a traumatic brain injury, but still managed to drive nearly 64 kilometres to alert authorities. He somehow untangled himself before 'crawling and feeling around in nearly pitch darkness,' per NBC News. Okanogan County Undersheriff David Yarnell told the outlet Tselykh's survival 'is miraculous to say the least.' He is now in a Seattle hospital. 'Originally from India and a proud member of Seattle's vibrant tech and cultural community, Vishnu built a life that reflected his values—integrity, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of growth,' Vishnu's family wrote a tribute post on His colleagues at Fluke Corporation echoed that sentiment, describing him as 'an extraordinary leader' whose sudden loss is being 'felt profoundly' across the organization. He had been part of the company's leadership team. ALSO READ| Just one straight answer cost a Delhi student his US visa, Reddit speculates what went wrong Vishnu's family shared that he had 'developed an intense passion for mountaineering and climbing throughout his life.' To honor his memory, donations are being directed to two nonprofits he supported, with an appeal to continue contributions until 22 May. Notably, a cremation ceremony for the Indian-origin techie is scheduled for Thursday.
