Mass climbing on active volcano Avacha

Mass climbing on active volcano Avacha took place in Kamchatka.

According to Chairman of the organising committee Andrey Masny, last Saturday 650 people participated in the climbing, but due to the poor weather conditions only 41 of them reached the crater of the volcano.

The climbing on the active volcano Avacha, situated 30 kilometres from Petropavlovsk (the administrative centre of the Kamchatka peninsula), was dedicated to the remembrance of the Kamchatka entrepreneur, patron of arts and bard Aleksander Pukalo.

Prominent Russian mountain-climber Valery Karpenko, who was also the head referee of the competitions, was meeting the participants at the top of the volcano. The winner was Vladimir Rovensky, who reached the top of the volcano at the height of 2,300 metres in 2 hours and 8 minutes.

67 people from the Kamchatka Labour Unions participated in the climbing and dedicated their action to the 85th anniversary of the Kamchatka Labour Unions and the protection of human labour. The idea of the labour unions was supported by the "United Russia" representatives.

The previous climbings were marked with casualties among non-professional tourists and, therefore, this year the security of the climbing was provided by rescuers.