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Climbing Information:
Accident and Incident Analysis:
Two Dead ,Anchor failure, Red River Gorge 2009:
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majid_sabet
Nov 5, 2008, 5:31 AM
Views: 29343
Registered: Dec 13, 2002
Posts: 8390
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Edited for title correction and update.
For full report click this link
http://web.me.com/...ers_die_in_fall.html
MS
Two rock climbers found dead Tuesday evening in the Red River Gorge area fell about 50 to 60 feet after frayed, discolored webbing "blew out," officials said Wednesday.
Benjamin E. Strohmeier of Hebron and Laura Fletcher of Brownsburg, Ind., both 18, were found off Ky. 11 at Emerald City, a climbing area near Natural Bridge State Park in western Wolfe County.Crews returned to the area Wednesday morning, inspecting equipment they hadn't seen on the rock the day before, said John May, a member of Wolfe County Search and Rescue.
There was webbing, a type of strap climbers use, on an anchor bolt, and the webbing "essentially tore in half, and as a result the climbers fell," May said.The climbers probably died from the impact, he said.
"That's the best information that we have, and that's what it looks like happened," May said. "Unless you were there and actually witnessed it, you can't say 100 percent."Both teenagers were experienced climbers. May said crews initially thought their deaths resulted from something more than a climbing mistake.
Two climbers inspecting the area Wednesday rapelled down the climb Strohmeier and Fletcher were on and found a piece of frayed webbing about halfway down, May said.
May said the webbing probably was left on the rock by other climbers and used by Strohmeier and Fletcher. Their other equipment was in good condition. It's not uncommon for climbers to leave gear behind because of the difficulty of the climb.
Investigators say Fletcher was discovered at the bottom of the cliff, and Strohmeier had gone over another ledge and was suspended by his rope.Both climbers were in their harnesses.State police are investigating, but have said foul play is not suspected.
Added;11/07/08
Shannon Stuart-Smith, founder of the Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition, told the Lexington Herald-Reader that the webbing could be 10 to 15 years old.
http://www.wkyt.com/...dlines/33871489.html
(This post was edited by majid_sabet on Feb 19, 2010, 7:46 PM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Nov 5, 2008, 6:33 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Nov 5, 2008, 7:11 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Nov 5, 2008, 10:03 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Nov 5, 2008, 10:06 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Nov 7, 2008, 6:44 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Feb 19, 2010, 7:43 PM
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Post edited by majid_sabet
() on Feb 19, 2010, 7:46 PM
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