Alaska (TDI): Three Latvian mountaineers have died following a high-altitude fall on Denali, North America’s tallest peak, with a fourth climber airlifted to hospital in critical condition.
The accident, which sent shockwaves through the climbers community, is one of the deadliest single incidents on the mountain in recent years.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday when four members of a seven-person Latvian expedition fell while ascending near Denali Pass; a hazardous section roughly 2,100 feet below the 20,310-foot summit.
The Latvian Mountaineering Association confirmed the names of the climbers who died, on Friday, as Inese Pučeka, Vija Olte, and Renārs Kunigs-Salaks.
Read More: Busiest Day on Everest: 274 Climbers Conquer the Summit in One Day
The fourth climber, Mārtiņš Bilzēns, survived the fall and was rescued the following day from a mountain basin at 17,200 feet before being transferred by air ambulance to a hospital.
The group was attempting to summit via the West Buttress route, the most popular path up the mountain, when the accident occurred at an altitude of approximately 5,545 meters.
Rangers at Denali National Park received the distress call around midnight. Following the rescue of the sole survivor, the National Park Service confirmed that operations for the remaining three climbers had shifted from search and rescue to recovery.
The pass where the climbers fell is considered among the most dangerous stretches on the mountain, plagued by steep ice, exposed ridges, and crevasses. Only around 1,000 to 1,200 climbers attempt the summit each year, with fewer than half typically reaching the top.
Read More: Italian Climber Completes First Solo Climb of Eternal Flame
Park rangers and guides routinely install snow pickets in the area to provide additional protection for climbers, but the terrain remains unforgiving, particularly during ascent in late-season conditions.
Denali, known to Alaska natives as “the high one” in the Athabascan language, and officially renamed Mount McKinley by President Trump in 2025, has claimed more than 130 lives throughout its climbing history.
The Latvian Mountaineering Association has been coordinating with US authorities, and the remaining three members of the expedition are expected to descend safely with assistance from rescue teams.
The National Park Service said it will not release further information about the victims until 72 hours after next-of-kin notification has been completed.
