Avalanche kills Polish mountaineer
PR dla Zagranicy
Alicja Baczyńska
04.12.2015 17:56
A Polish mountain guide died while on duty in the Slovak High Tatras on Thursday.
Photo: Wikimedia commons
A seasoned mountaineer and rescuer, Józef Michalec was leading a tourist in the Slovak High Tatra Mountain range, when he was swept away by an avalanche, the local mountain rescue announced on Friday.
The two men were caught up in the avalanche, however, the tourist was able to free himself to the point of reaching for his mobile phone and phoning a rescue squad for help.
Due to poor atmospheric conditions, the rescue helicopter returned to base without success. The rescuers managed to reach the men by foot.
Covered by approximately one and a half metres of snow, the 62-year-old mountaineer could not be revived.
Michalec was a highly qualified mountaineer and had ascended peaks in the Andes, Caucasus, and Himalayan mountain ranges.
This is the first fatality caused by an avalanche this winter season.
A level-two avalanche warning is in effect for Tatra Moutains in both Poland and Slovakia until Saturday. (ua/aba/rk)
Source: PAP