GORNO-ALTAISK, March 11 (Itar-Tass) – Student of the 11th grade Ayas Salchak, who died under avalanche on March 3, was identified in the Mongun-Taiga district in the Russian Republic of Tuva, the press service of the republican investigation department of the Russian Investigation Committee told Itar-Tass on Monday.
The forensic expertise showed that the boy, as well as five other teenagers died of asphyxia, as the schoolboy got suffocated under the load of snow. The rescuers found him dead on March 9 on the Ak-Bashtyg Mount at a depth of two metres under the avalanche. He was the last teenager found under the avalanche.
Five other teenagers were found dead on March 6. Rescuers from the Siberian regional emergency situation centre descended them from the Ak-Bashtyg Mount to the basic camp, then they were brought to the settlement Mugur-Aksy, where the school students lived. All students were identified, they were buried last Saturday.
Ayas Salchak will be buried in Mugur-Aksy on March 12, deputy head of the Mongun-Aksy district authorities Alexander Dodok told Itar-Tass on Monday.
The group of seven teenagers went up skiing on the Ak-Bashtyg Mount at an altitude of 3,252 metres above the sea level on March 3 in order to hoist the ritual flags for a higher spirit on the top of the mount. Six students from a secondary school in the village Mugur-Aksy and a 18-year-old school graduate were among the climbers. The avalanche covered them in the descent from the mountain. Only Anton Salchak, 17, succeeded to survive. All young people were the athletes, including two wrestlers and five kickboxers. The only survivor Anton Salchak is the European kickboxing champion.