On Thursday (25 Sept), footage of a fatal fall on Nama Peak in Sichuan, China went viral on social media.
The video shows a climber in a red jacket losing his balance as he stood up, before sliding headfirst down a snowy slope while his companions cried out in alarm.
Source: @show3time on X
On Friday (26 Sept), local authorities confirmed that the climber, a 32-year-old man surnamed Hong from Xiaojin County, had died in the incident.
According to his cousin, it was Mr Hong’s first attempt on the mountain.
He had untied his safety rope to help fellow hikers take photos, but as he stood up, his crampons — metal spikes attached to hiking boots for walking on ice — caught and caused him to slip.
Source: @show3time on X
Mr Hong then slid more than 200m before falling into rocky terrain at around 5,300m above sea level.
A farmer who occasionally led visitors on hikes, Mr Hong reportedly held a climbing assistant’s certificate, though his family was unsure if he had joined this expedition as a tourist.
A local official said Mr Hong fell about 100m to 200m into rubble.
The guide and other hikers reached him shortly afterwards, at a location just above Camp 1 and still visible from the camp.
The official added that initial checks showed he had tripped over his crampons, but also noted that several of his actions had breached safety rules.
“If the crampons had not been removed and the rope had not been undone, this might not have happened,” the official said.
Personnel from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association also clarified that Mr Hong was not a professional guide, contrary to some online claims.
Separately, the Ganzi State Education and Sports Bureau told Southern Metropolis Daily that the group had been climbing without authorisation, as they had not obtained a permit.
Police are investigating the case.
Also read: 16-year-old teen falls to death from 5,276m mountain in China
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Featured image adapted from @show3time on X.