Elbrus Survivor Blames Inaccurate Weather Forecast for Tragedy

Dragon Media News Desk

Haris Adilovic, a mountaineer who survived the accident on Russia’s Mount Elbrus, has blamed an inaccurate weather forecast for the tragedy.

Speaking to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Adilovic said all members of the climbing group were experienced and knew one another well. He argued that unexpectedly worsening weather, rather than inadequate preparation, was the main cause of the accident.

According to Adilovic, the group members trained in the mountains almost every weekend in Bosnia and Herzegovina because mountain ranges were located nearby. He said they therefore had sufficient experience and physical preparation for the ascent.

Adilovic said the actual weather conditions became far more severe than forecast after the climb began, forcing the group to confront an increasingly dangerous situation. According to his account to Izvestia, the climbers decided to abandon the ascent when conditions deteriorated further.

Citing Russian authorities, Reuters reported that five mountaineers from Bosnia and Herzegovina died after being caught in a powerful snowstorm on Elbrus. Rescuers from Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations brought two surviving climbers to safety and transferred them for medical treatment.

Russian authorities said strong winds, heavy snowfall and poor visibility complicated rescue and recovery operations.

Adilovic’s claim that an inaccurate weather forecast was the principal cause of the tragedy remains his personal assessment. The final findings of the official investigation into the accident have not yet been released.