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| Climber killed in massive rock fall off Yosemite's El Capitan was British | Climber killed in massive rock fall off Yosemite's El Capitan was British |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The climber who was killed when a massive hunk of rock fell off the El Capitan monolith in Yosemite national park was British, a park ranger said on Thursday. | The climber who was killed when a massive hunk of rock fell off the El Capitan monolith in Yosemite national park was British, a park ranger said on Thursday. |
| Yosemite ranger and spokesman Scott Gediman said the man was with a British woman who was seriously injured. The Britons were not being identified in public until their relatives had been notified, Gediman said. | Yosemite ranger and spokesman Scott Gediman said the man was with a British woman who was seriously injured. The Britons were not being identified in public until their relatives had been notified, Gediman said. |
| The two were at the park to climb El Capitan when the rock weighing about 1,300 tons (1,100 metric tons) fell, Gediman said, adding that the two were hiking at the bottom of the vertical face and on their way to scale it when the rock fell. Rescuers found no other victims. | The two were at the park to climb El Capitan when the rock weighing about 1,300 tons (1,100 metric tons) fell, Gediman said, adding that the two were hiking at the bottom of the vertical face and on their way to scale it when the rock fell. Rescuers found no other victims. |
| At least 30 climbers were on the vertical wall of the 7,569ft (2,307m) El Capitan when the huge piece of rock fell off. Gediman said the rock appeared to fall from the popular Waterfall Route on the east buttress of El Capitan. | |
| A Canadian climber, Peter Zabrok, said he saw a piece white granite the size of an apartment building suddenly peel off the wall. | A Canadian climber, Peter Zabrok, said he saw a piece white granite the size of an apartment building suddenly peel off the wall. |
| Images showed a woman being carried into a helicopter by two rescue workers. | Images showed a woman being carried into a helicopter by two rescue workers. |
| The massive rockfall was among seven that happened in the same general area in a four-hour period on Wednesday. The park records about 80 rock falls per year, though they are rarely fatal. | The massive rockfall was among seven that happened in the same general area in a four-hour period on Wednesday. The park records about 80 rock falls per year, though they are rarely fatal. |
| A climbing guide who has helped people get to the top of El Capitan for 12 years said the fall was the biggest he has ever seen at the site. | A climbing guide who has helped people get to the top of El Capitan for 12 years said the fall was the biggest he has ever seen at the site. |
| John DeGrazio of YExplore Yosemite Adventures said he had reached the summit with a group of climbers when they saw large plumes of dust rising up the vertical wall of El Capitan. | John DeGrazio of YExplore Yosemite Adventures said he had reached the summit with a group of climbers when they saw large plumes of dust rising up the vertical wall of El Capitan. |
| DeGrazio said the rock fall was “more significant than anything I’ve seen before”. Climbers are aware of the risks of the sport, he said, and that granite erosion takes place on El Capitan and in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. | DeGrazio said the rock fall was “more significant than anything I’ve seen before”. Climbers are aware of the risks of the sport, he said, and that granite erosion takes place on El Capitan and in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. |
| El Capitan climbers have been lucky that many rock slides have not killed people, DeGrazio said. | El Capitan climbers have been lucky that many rock slides have not killed people, DeGrazio said. |