Avalanche kills 11 climbers in Russian Caucasus as six remain missing in Bezengi gorge

Avalanche strikes 33 climbers in Bezengi gorge

An avalanche in the Russian Caucasus struck a group of 33 mountaineers on Sunday afternoon, leaving 11 people dead and six injured. The incident occurred in the Bezengi gorge, a remote high-altitude location situated in the North Caucasus region. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported the details on Monday morning after receiving initial reports from survivors who exited the area. The climbing party of 33 individuals was caught by the sudden snow slide while moving through the gorge. While 11 climbers were killed directly by the avalanche, ten members of the group succeeded in descending the mountain slopes on their own to reach safety. The Bezengi gorge is recognised for its glacier and rugged peaks, drawing expeditions to the North Caucasus. Russian emergency services confirmed that the slide occurred in the gorge on Sunday, with official casualty counts confirmed the following day.

Unfortunately, 11 people were killed.

Casualties and missing mountaineers

The disaster resulted in 11 confirmed fatalities and six injuries among the climbing expedition, according to figures released by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. Six other members of the 33-person group remain missing in the Bezengi gorge, and their condition and whereabouts were unknown as of Monday. Russian authorities and international news agencies reporting on the incident have not specified the nationalities or geographic origins of any of the climbers involved. The ten mountaineers who survived without life-threatening injuries managed to make their way down the mountain terrain independently. The ministry's statement confirmed that 11 people were killed, six were injured, and six remained missing from the 33-member group. Emergency authorities continue to report six individuals as missing following the Sunday afternoon slide.

Geography of the Bezengi gorge and glacier

The Bezengi gorge and its associated glacier are situated in the central region of the Caucasus mountain chain within Russian territory. The area lies along the international border between Russia and Georgia, forming a prominent section of the mountainous divide between Europe and Asia. The landscape is dominated by the Bezengi Wall, a continuous 12-kilometre mountain ridge running along the border zone. The region is known for its high concentrations of extreme peaks, containing six of the eight Caucasus summits that exceed 5,000 metres in altitude. Across the entire mountain chain, 11 of the 14 peaks above 5,000 metres are located within the Bezengi area. The 12-kilometre ridge stands directly on the frontier with Georgia, though the gorge and glacier themselves fall within the borders of Russia.

High-altitude summits along the Caucasus border

The highest peak along the 12-kilometre Bezengi Wall is Dykh-Taou, which reaches an altitude of 5,204 metres above sea level. This concentration of 5,000-metre peaks and extensive glaciers makes the Bezengi gorge a notable destination for mountaineering expeditions in the North Caucasus. Sunday's avalanche surprised the 33 climbers during the afternoon hours in this high-elevation terrain. Out of the total group of 33 mountaineers present in the gorge on Sunday, 11 were confirmed dead, six sustained injuries, ten reached safety through their own descent, and six remain unaccounted for.