NALCHIK, Russia, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The bodies of five Russian climbers killed in an avalanche in the North Caucasus mountains have been recovered, officials said Saturday.
Rescuers recovered the body Friday of Andrei Liukkonen, 40, of Moscow, the leader of the group, ITAR-Tass reported. Four more bodies were discovered Saturday.
Kantemir Davydov, a spokesman for the Russian Emergency Ministry in the autonomous republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, said Liukkonen ignored avalanche warnings and led a group of nine climbers on one of the easiest routes in the area Friday. Four climbers extricated themselves from the snow.
The other victims were identified as Sergei Rumyantsev, 43, and Ivanna Dashko, 31, both of St. Petersburg; Konstantin Lapin, 24, of Moscow; and Alexander Vladimirov, 41, of Cheboksary.
