British climber killed in avalanche while scaling frozen waterfall in Norway
26 February 2025, 05:45
A British climber has been killed in an avalanche that took place while he was climbing across a frozen waterfall in Norway.
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The man, in his 40s, was climbing with a companion, who was also injured during the accident, which took place last Friday.
The survivor, who is in his 30s, was rushed to hospital by helicopter after being brought down by rescue workers, who were themselves operating in treacherous snowy conditions.
The rescue operation lasted for around 24 hours, which authorities described as "an extreme strain" and "incredibly challenging".
The body of the climber who died was only recovered on Tuesday.
Read more: British skier, 23, found dead in French Alps
The waterfall route where the two climbers got into trouble is called the Gausta Marathon, on the slopes of the Gaustatoppen mountain.
The mountain is located near the town of Rjukan in southern Norway, and is about 100 miles west of Oslo.
Local climbing tour guide Jørn Knustad said: "The waterfall is about 17 rope lengths long and is the longest we have here. That is why it was originally named Gausta Marathon."
Mr Knustad said it was "unlikely" that the two climbers "were poorly trained."
"Then they would hardly have embarked on such a trip," he added.
"It is the snow and ice avalanche that is the cause of this incident."
He also said English people were particularly keen on ice climbing, although the region attracts visitors from all over the world.
