A lacking French pilot was once discovered useless remaining week after officers say he fell 1,000 ft throughout a hike on Mt. Whitney at Sequoia and Kings Nationwide Park in California.
Tom Gerbier, a French Nationwide of Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, and pilot for Air France, had long past mountaineering early Tuesday morning from Whitney Portal, the gateway to Mt. Whitney, by way of the Climbing Course ahead of his go back flight the following day, the Nationwide Park Carrier stated Friday.
“Gerbier was once described as an skilled mountaineer and extremely runner with the tools and talent to finish his meant path,” the Inyo County Sheriff’s Place of work stated.
When Gerbier failed to turn up for the flight on Wednesday, he was once reported lacking.
COLORADO HIKER MISSING NEARLY 2 WEEKS IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK; LARGE-SCALE SEARCH SUSPENDED
Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain within the contiguous United States, with an elevation of 14,505 ft. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Occasions by way of Getty Pictures, Report)
The sheriff’s place of business instantly started rescue operations with fly-overs of Mt. Whitney, however discovered no indicators of the lacking hiker.
Flooring groups have been deployed early Thursday morning and located clues {that a} hiker will have fallen off a cliff within the house referred to as “The Notch,” in step with rescuers.
The sheriff’s place of business described the world as the place “the Mountaineer’s Course meets the steep and uncovered North Face of Mt. Whitney,” including that the terrain is “precarious.”
An NPS helicopter recovered the frame of Gerbier in a space referred to as “The Notch.” (Nationwide Park Carrier)
An NPS helicopter then flew over the world and noticed a “immobile” hiker with clothes that matched Gerbier’s description, the company stated.
It seemed Gerbier had fallen about 1,000 ft, NPS stated. His frame was once recovered by way of helicopter and transferred to Tulare County Sheriff’s Place of work, the place his id was once showed.
MAN WHO SURVIVED GRIZZLY ATTACK BEARS MESSAGE FOR BEAST AFTER SURGERY GIVES HIM NEW FACE
Air France instructed the San Francisco Chronicle in a remark that it “regrets to substantiate the unintended dying of one in every of its pilots, which took place on October twentieth, 2023 whilst he was once on a stopover in Los Angeles (California). The corporate provides its maximum honest condolences to his circle of relatives and family members.”
The Mountaineer’s Course on Mt. Whitney is a technical climb that calls for top mountain climbing talents and kit, the sheriff’s place of business stated. (Santi Visalli/ Getty Pictures, Report)
Mt. Whitney is the tallest mountain within the contiguous United States, emerging 14,505 ft.
The sheriff’s place of business introduced condolences to Gerbier’s family members and warned that the Mountaineer’s Course on Mt. Whitney is a technical climb that calls for top mountain climbing talents and kit.
“It’s not a hike and has claimed more than one lives lately,” the sheriff’s place of business stated. “Keep in mind, regardless of how professional and ready you’re, injuries can occur to any person.”
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Gerbier was once the second one fatality reported at Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nationwide Parks this yr, officers stated.
