A search operation in Russia’s remote Nalychevo Natural Park on Kamchatka Peninsula has concluded with a tragic outcome, confirming the deaths of two tourists and the hospitalization of five others with severe frostbite. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the incident that saw members of a hiking group caught in extreme winter conditions.
The group, comprising nine tourists hailing from St. Petersburg and Cherepovets, embarked on their journey on March 28 from the village of Pinachevo. Their registered ski route was intended to traverse the challenging Nalychevo Natural Park towards Avachinsky Pass, with a planned return by April 10, allowing for a reserve day. Reports indicate the individuals were associated with an extreme tourism club from St. Petersburg Mining University.
However, on April 3, the eighth day of their expedition, a critical disagreement unfolded near the Talovsky Cordon. Two members of the group chose to separate, taking with them the only tent and satellite phone, and proceeded on an abbreviated route to Semyonovsky Cordon, reaching it safely. This left the remaining seven participants without essential shelter or a means of communication as they continued along the main, more arduous path.
The situation escalated around April 7, when the seven members were last sighted near a waterfall on the Shumny River. Crucially, within 24 hours, a powerful cyclone, bringing blizzards and hurricane-force winds, swept across the Avachinsky Pass area, directly impacting their presumed location. Alarm bells were not raised until April 9, when the expedition organizer, who was located outside the Kamchatka region, reported the group missing. That same night, Sergey Lebedev, Kamchatka’s Minister for Emergency Situations, publicly announced the commencement of search operations, specifically highlighting the group’s perilous lack of a tent, stating, ‘There is a risk that on April 8 they could have been caught in a blizzard, lost their bearings, and frozen.’
A large-scale rescue operation was immediately mobilized, involving specialists from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM), Nalychevo Natural Park rangers, and other emergency services. On April 10, all seven missing individuals were located in the vicinity of Avachinsky Pass. Tragically, two participants, born in 2001 and 2003, were found deceased. The five survivors were promptly airlifted by an EMERCOM helicopter to a base near the foothills of Avachinsky Volcano before being transferred to medical facilities. The Kamchatka regional government press service reported their condition as moderate to serious.
The Nalychevo Natural Park is renowned for its active volcanic landscape and extremely rugged terrain, making navigation exceptionally challenging even under ideal weather conditions. In winter and amidst strong winds, visibility can deteriorate rapidly and unexpectedly, posing immense risks to even experienced trekkers. This inherent danger underscores the precariousness of the group’s situation, particularly after losing their critical supplies.
In the wake of the tragedy, Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case under two articles of the criminal code: negligent homicide involving two or more persons, and providing services that fail to meet safety requirements, resulting in fatalities. The regional EMERCOM department has characterized the incident as a severe breach of fundamental mountain expedition safety protocols, specifically emphasizing the impermissibility of group separation in hazardous mountainous environments. Regional authorities have expressed readiness to provide all necessary assistance to the families of the victims.