Stuck on mountain ledge in Lofoten

Mountain ledge ClimbingMountain Climbing. Photo: Pixabay.com

Climbers have been stuck on a mountain ledge in Lofoten for twelve hours

A rescue helicopter had to call off an attempt to rescue the two climbers who are stuck on a mountain ledge in Lofoten on Wednesday night.

 

The rescue helicopter attempted to retrieve the climbers just before 7 pm on Wednesday, but was prevented by dense fog and difficult rescue conditions. The helicopter remains in the area and waits for better weather.

Svolvær Alpine Rescue Group are also involved in the rescue operation.

Two Swedish climbers in their twenties had spent the night up on the mountain before they began the descent on Wednesday morning. Around 9 am they contacted the emergency services.

– It became too slippery and they are stuck on a rock outcropping. They can neither not get up or down, says Operations Manager in the Nordland police district, Jon Inge Moen, to NTB.

Unsafe to attempt rescue

The rescue operation has been ongoing since Wednesday morning. Until now, heavy fog has made helicopter rescue impossible, and the climbing crews are also unable to reach the spot. The climbers are stuck on a rock shelf at Vågakallen near Kabelvåg. The mountain peak is 942 meters above sea level, and it is around five degrees centigrade in the area.

– We have been in contact with them on the phone. They say that they are cold and wet and have little food. We cannot reach them with either crews or helicopter. In addition to poor visibility, it is wet and slippery, which means it’s not safe for crews to climb down to them , says Moen.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today