DENALI, Alaska, June 16 (UPI) -- An avalanche swept four Japanese climbers off the side of Alaska's Mount McKinley and they are presumed dead, national park officials said Saturday.
The National Park Service said five members of the Miyagi Workers Alpine Federation were descending the tallest peak in North America roped together early Thursday morning when an avalanche hit them at 11,800 feet and their rope broke.
Hitoshi Ogi, 69, was swept into a crevasse and survived with only minor injuries, The Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News said. He reported the avalanche when he reached base camp Thursday afternoon.
The other four climbers -- Yoshiaki Kato, 64; Masako Suda, 50; Michiko Suzuki, 56; and Tamao Suzuki, 63, all from Miyga Prefecture in Japan -- were missing and presumed dead, a U.S. Park Service spokeswoman said Saturday after searchers had found no trace of the missing climbers.
