2 Climbers Rescued After Sudden Fall Leaves Them Hanging Overnight in Their Harnesses on Sheer 6,500-Feet Cliff Face

NEED TO KNOW

• Two climbers had to be rescued from Canada’s Yak Peak summit after a fall left them hanging overnight in their harnesses on a 6500-feet cliff face

• One of the climbers sustained a head injury in the fall

• The complex rescue mission was completed on Aug. 6 after multiple attempts to reach the pair failed amid “dangerous conditions”

Two climbers are recovering after a fall left them stranded overnight while hanging in their harnesses on a sheer 6500-feet cliff face on the Yak Peak summit in Canada.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, North Shore Rescue confirmed in a press release on Facebook that they received an alert at 10:40 p.m. the night before about two people who were “stuck on Yak Peak,” with one of the climbers also suffering from a head injury sustained in a fall,

Weather in the area was also “rapidly deteriorating making climbing conditions dangerous,” the release continued, adding that “the two climbers were hanging in their harnesses mid-face.”

Officials said the rescue operation included Talon helicopters and night visitation goggles.

Multiple attempts were made to reach the climbers but the conditions were “too dangerous” and the “flight was complicated by clouds and wildfire smoke in the area.”

Due to the weather conditions, the rescue team were unable to to reach the climbers, resulting in the helicopter landing at Hope Airport in British Columbia.

The flight crew was forced to wait until the weather improved after another failed attempt around 4:00 a.m., before a new crew was assembled at 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 6 and able to complete the rescue mission.

“The fresh flight crew flew up into the area and luckily were able to get overhead,” the release continued, adding that the climber with the head injury was rescued first, followed by his partner.

In photos shared by North Shore Rescue, the helicopter was seen approaching the climbers on the sheer cliff face.

“This was a complex task involving night flying, technical pick offs, mountain rescue, and complex hoists,” officials said.

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After thanking all the agencies involved, they added, “The flight crew is currently returning to Vancouver. We wish the climber a speedy recovery.”

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