Search goes on for lost Russian climbers

[TaiwanTrek]

Rescue crews continued searching for the two missing Russians who were reportedly caught up in multiple avalanches on the Siguniang (Four Girls) Mountain in Sichuan Province Monday.

The two Russians, Igor Sherstnev and Anfisa Krasheninina, went to the mountain with two others, Sergey Iyagin and Andrey Mikhalchenko, on a climbing and camping trip. Iyagin and Mikhalchenko survived the snow slide, and contacted the local police on Saturday afternoon.

One of the two survivors was trapped but saved by the other teammate who managed to escape the danger, police said.

The avalanches occurred at an altitude of 6,250 meters where the campers were taking photos.

On Saturday, a crew of 30 rescuers ascended 3,000 meters on the mountain to look for the trapped tourists. A few more will be sent to a higher level today, police said.

The local police have not been able to locate the two men due to heavy snow and severe weather conditions in the area, according to the management bureau of Siguniang Mountain in Aba Tibet and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.

Taking into account that both survivors do not speak English or Chinese, the police found it hard to communicate and that slowed the rescue process in the beginning.

Local media reported that the four Russian climbers registered at the bureau when they started their journey on October 20.

However, Lin Li, secretary general of Sichuan Mountaineers Club, said the rescuers could not track their routes or location because the climbers did not show their route map and climbing permit to the bureau.

"For their own safety it's mandatory for them or any climber to obtain a license from the General Administration of Sport of China if they wish to hike the mountains here," said Lin.

But calls to the management bureau went unanswered Monday.

Statistics from the Sichuan Mountaineers Club showed that 80 foreigners climbed the Siguniang Mountain without registration between July and August this year.

"A lot of foreign climbers tend to skip the registration process, which is easy and only costs about a few US dollars," Lin added.

"More importantly, they cannot establish their own routes or isolate others in the mountain because that's what causes casualties."

Chengdu-based guide Li Hongxue fell to his death June 27 in a summit attempt on Pomiu, located across the valley from the Siguniang Mountain.
Another climber Huang Yongqiang fell to death in the mountain while offering protection to a Guangdong-based adventurers group July 28.