The three surviving members of a group of 12 Russian tourists stranded by freezing winds on Eurasia’s highest active volcano were rescued on Tuesday, the regional emergency service said, after nine others died while climbing.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano on the Kamchatka PeninsulaPhoto: Boris Smirnov / TASS / Profimedia

12 people in the group, which included two guides, set out together last week to climb the 4,754-meter Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East of Russia, Agerpres reported with reference to the Reuters agency.

According to local media, having set up camp at an altitude of 3,300 meters, nine members of the group set out to climb on Saturday.

Investigators say at least five of the nine fell into the void Saturday at an altitude of about 15,000 feet, and the others later died. The temperature on this mountain at night can drop, according to rescuers, to -14 degrees Celsius.

Several attempts to land a helicopter on the volcano on Sunday failed due to strong winds and dense clouds.

“They were supposed to land at an altitude of 3,300 meters, but due to strong winds of 30 meters per second, they were unable to do so, although two attempts were made with a difference of several hours,” the local civil defense office said.

The surface of the mountain, covered with volcanic rocks mixed with snow and ice, is especially dangerous for climbers

The three remaining members of the group – two tourists and a guide – were rescued on Tuesday after taking shelter in a shelter used by volcanologists.

The regional emergency management said the guide suffered frostbite, but two other people were in a relatively stable condition. All three were taken by helicopter to a nearby village.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest of more than 160 volcanoes whose snow-capped peaks rise above the Kamchatka Peninsula. It is part of the site included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its special beauty.

According to rescuers, the surface of the mountain is covered with volcanic rocks mixed with snow and ice, and is especially dangerous for climbers because of the height above sea level and the risk of eruption.

As a result of the incident, criminal proceedings were opened against the director of a travel company in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

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