A 31-year-old man was part of a hiking group at Mount Nama when he slipped near a crevasse after reportedly undoing his safety rope to take photos
A mountaineer has tragically plunged to his death whilst attempting to capture a selfie during a trek up a mountain.
The 31 year old man was amongst a hiking party at Mount Nama in Sichuan province in China. According to reports, the man, known only as Mr Hong, lost his footing near a crevasse after allegedly removing his safety rope to snap photographs on the snowy summit on September 25.
Eyewitnesses said he wasn’t wielding an ice axe and couldn’t regain his balance as he plummeted 200 metres (650ft) down the mountainside whilst his fellow hikers looked on in horror. Video footage circulated on social media captures the moment Mr Hong tumbled over the edge and careered down the 5,588-metre peak.
Emergency crews raced to the location, but the victim was tragically declared dead at the scene. His remains have since been transported to the neighbouring Gongga Mountain Town.
Mr Hong’s cousin revealed it was his maiden voyage attempting to scale the mountain, reports the Mirror.
The climber slid over 200m before crashing onto rocky ground at approximately 5,300m above sea level, according to Daily Goat. Representatives from the Kangding Municipal Education and Sports Bureau confirmed the hiking party hadn’t declared their intentions or secured climbing permits.
A local authority figure stated Mr Hong had stumbled over his crampons – metal spikes fixed to hiking boots for traversing ice – but noted his behaviour had violated safety protocols. “If the crampons had not been removed and the rope had not been undone, this might not have happened,” the official said.
Officials from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association have also confirmed that Mr Hong was not a qualified guide, despite claims circulating online. Authorities are now probing the devastating incident.
Earlier this year, a holidaymaker perished on a renowned railway route in Sri Lanka whilst attempting to capture a selfie by leaning from the train. Olga Perminova, 53, struck a rock and sustained catastrophic head injuries, according to reports.
The Russian visitor later died in hospital. She had been spotted wearing a pink dress and hanging from the train just moments before the fatal accident.
She was travelling on the Podi Menike train, celebrated for its breathtaking views as it winds through verdant tea estates, thick woodland, mountainous terrain, and stunning countryside. Perminova “died after falling off the train when attempting to take a selfie while hanging from the train footboard between the Badulla and Hali Ela railway stations,” stated a local report quoting police.
“The woman knocked against a rock, fell off the train and sustained severe injuries.”
The service was bound for Ella, location of the iconic Nine Arches Bridge, on a route hailed as one of the planet’s most spectacular railway journeys. Despite receiving urgent medical care, she succumbed to her head trauma.
She had been travelling as part of a Russian tour group visiting Sri Lanka.
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