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Austrian tourists saved in Kabardino-Balkaria

Climbers stranded on Shkhara Mount, airlifted by helicopter and taken to border patrol for investigation
Photo ITAR-TASS/ Oleg Nechyaev
Photo ITAR-TASS/ Oleg Nechyaev

NALCHIK, August 26. (Itar-Tass) - The tourists from Austria saved in the North Caucasus Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on Monday were passed to the border guards of the border service of the Federal Security Service to get to the bottom the incident which happened after their climbing attempt, which began in the highlands in Georgia, the Elbrus search-and-rescue force told Itar-Tass on Monday.

According to the regional emergency situation department, three Austrian tourists were evacuated at 11:10 Moscow time on Monday from Shkhara Mount in Bezengi Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria by a helicopter Mil Mi-8 of the North Caucasus regional emergency situation centre. “The tourists were brought to the highland camp Bezengi. No people were hurt,” the regional emergency situation department reported.

Previously, the North Caucasus regional emergencies centre reported on Monday: “Three tourists from Austria cannot go down independently from Shkhara Mount in Bezengi Gorge over an avalanche hazard. According to the Austrian Embassy, the tourists are staying in Russia, they are short of drinking water and food."

The information about stranded tourists surfaced on Sunday, but unfavorable weather hampered the search-and-rescue operation, the regional emergency situation department said.