Rescue crews in Denali National Park and Preserve are desperately searching for a pair of stranded mountain climbers who are reportedly suffering from hypothermia. On Wednesday, the National Park Service issued a press release detailing the recovery efforts.
At around 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning, rangers received an SOS communication from three climbers who were at the 20,310-foot summit of Mount Denali. The rangers were able to maintain communication until about 3:30 a.m., when the team informed authorities of their plan to descend. After that message, rangers did not hear back from the climbers and the location of their device did not change.
“At 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, the Alaska Air National Guard launched an HC-130J Combat King II from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska to attempt to locate the climbing team,” the press release reported.
Two of the pararescuers on board the HC-130J caught sight of two stranded climbers around the area from which they last transmitted. However, they were unable to attempt a rescue due to cloud cover creating issues for the “high-altitude helicopter.”
The third climber was located at 18,600 feet by a climbing guide who eventually ushered them to medical personnel. They were taken in “critical” condition to a LifeMed helicopter.
Two further attempts were made to rescue the remaining stranded adventurers, but the weather made it impossible. As of Wednesday evening, rescuers were waiting for “clouds and windy conditions to dissipate” across Denali before sending further resources up the mountain.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more information.
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