---
title: "Caucasus avalanche kills 11 climbers, six missing in Russia"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/84878/caucasus-avalanche-kills-11-climbers-six-missing-in-russia
published: 2026-09-08T13:39:17Z
language: en
author: "Rodica Dimitriu"
section: "International"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Caucasus avalanche kills 11 climbers, six missing in Russia

> At least eleven climbers died and six remain missing after a massive avalanche struck a 33-member expedition in the Caucasus Mountains' Bezengi Gorge, Russian emergency officials said on Tuesday.

[Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/wtTCJrjUfMo)

At least eleven climbers died and six remain missing after a massive avalanche struck a 33-member expedition in the Caucasus Mountains' Bezengi Gorge, Russian emergency officials said on Tuesday.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/53fa9cc0-77af-4e6c-830f-05cb0a45b42f.jpg)

**Criminal negligence probe opened**

The snowslide occurred on the slopes of Mount Mizhirgi, the seventh-highest peak in the Caucasus, situated in Kabardino-Balkaria near the border with Georgia. Russian investigators launched a criminal case into suspected safety negligence, assessing whether organizers and participants adhered to mandatory high-altitude safety protocols.

Ten mountaineers descended unaided following the disaster, while six injured survivors were evacuated to local hospitals. Around 60 rescuers and two helicopters, including a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry Mi-8, continue searching for the missing amid rugged terrain and ongoing avalanche risks.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**
***
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