Avalanche in Buryatia: Local Guides May Have Led Fatal Climb

An investigation is underway in Buryatia after an avalanche swept through a group of hikers from Irkutsk, killing at least one woman. Authorities now suspect the climbers were accompanied by two local guides from a commercial operation based at a nearby tourist camp.

The seven-person group, which had not registered their trip with officials, set out to summit Constitution Peak in the Munku-Sardyk mountain range on Friday. As they crossed a high pass, a wall of snow crashed down on them. Rescue teams later located three survivors and recovered the body of a 34-year-old woman from the group.

According to the regional branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee, the hikers had checked into a base camp at a spot called Strelka, where the Bely Irkut and Muguvek rivers meet. Investigators are now looking into whether the group paid for guiding services from a company that runs accommodations and tours at that camp.

The tragedy highlights the risks of unregistered expeditions in remote mountain terrain. Officials remind climbers that registering their routes with local rescue services can speed up emergency response. The investigation continues, with authorities questioning the guides and examining the company’s safety protocols.