Fatalities | Year | Type | Location | Country | Details |
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199 | 1902 | Storm | Hakkōda Mountains | Japan | Soldiers ordered to the traverse Hakkōda Mountains as a training exercise. Soldiers were given inadequate equipment and training. 95% of the soldiers perished due to hypothermia. |
45 | 2005 | Storm | Antuco Volcano | Chile | Chilean army major sent group of conscripts to march in blizzard in -35 °C (-30 °F), despite objections from corporals. Only one out of the five companies had mountain survival gear. |
43 | 1990 | Earthquake and Avalanche | Lenin Peak | Soviet Union | 6.4 magnitude earthquake triggered serac fall on Lenin Peak. This resulted in an avalanche crashing into Camp II, where 45 climbers were camping. This is considered to be the worst mountaineering accident in history, where the victims were mountaineers rather than soldiers. |
43 | 2014 | Storm | Annapurna and Dhaulagiri | Nepal, China | A snowstorm and a series of avalanches killed trekkers and climbers, including those on Annapurna Circuit and at base camps |
27 | 2022 | Avalanche | Draupadi Ka Danda (DKD2) | India | Avalanche during guided mountaineering course buried mountaineers in crevasse |
24 | 2015 | Earthquake and Avalanche | Mount Everest | Nepal, China | A 7.8 magnitude earthquake caused an avalanche to sweep into Everest Base Camp |
24 | 1972 | Avalanche | Mount Fuji | Japan | On a popular March weekend for climbing, a low pressure system struck, causing rain to seep into climbers' sleeping bags and tents, followed by high winds that caused temperatures of -40 C with windchill. Many died of hypothermia, and six, whose bodies were not found, were believed to have been buried in an avalanche. |
19 | 1968 | Avalanche | Biały Jar | Poland | Avalanche swept 25 hikers. |
17 | 1991 | Avalanche | Kawagarbo | China | A nighttime avalanche killed all seventeen members of a joint Japanese and Chinese expedition to climb the previously unclimbed peak. |
16 | 2014 | Avalanche | Mount Everest | Nepal, China | Seracs on Khumbu Icefall failed, resulting in ice avalanche that killed sixteen climbing sherpas. |
16 | 1937 | Avalanche | Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | Team was at Camp IV below Rakhiot Peak when it was overrun by an avalanche. |
15 | 1970 | Avalanche | Huascarán | Peru | A massive debris avalanche, triggered by an earthquake, killed 30,000 people after it buried a town and ten villages. Among the dead were 15 Czech climbers who were climbing Huascarán at the time of the avalanche. |
15 | 1954 | Avalanche | Mount Fuji | Japan | While holding training on snow, mountaineering clubs from several universities were caught in an avalanche. |
15 | 1972 | Avalanche | Manaslu | Nepal | Avalanche buried the camp of a Korean expedition attempting the north-east face |
13 | 1954 | Storm | Dachstein Mountains | Austria | Group of high school students and 3 teachers died in blizzard while hiking the Dachstein Mountains |
13 | 1996 | Avalanche | Cotopaxi | Ecuador | An avalanche buried the Refuge, a hut at 4,800m, on a busy day. An earthquake a few days prior may have weakened the glacier above the Refuge, contributing to the accident. |
13 | 1963 | Storm | Mount Yakushi | Japan | During a winter ascent of the mountain, thirteen members of a university mountaineering club went missing. It is believed the heavy snowfall caused them to get lost, and lack of gear for warmth or navigation caused their deaths. |
12 | 1980 | Rockfall | Mount Fuji | Japan | 12 died and 29 were injured when avalanche-like rockfall, with 50 to 60 boulders 1-2 meters in diameter, rolled down the Yoshida trail, affecting climbers between the eighth and sixth stations. It is the worst rockfall disaster in Japanese history. |
12 | 1983 | Avalanche | Mount Amida | Japan | 12 people, including 11 members of a mountaineering club, were caught in an avalanche, and all were killed. |
12 | 2021 | Storm | Lamkhaga Pass | India | Historic storms caused the deaths of at least 12 trekkers. |
12 | 2012 | Avalanche | Manaslu | Nepal | Avalanche swept through camp. [1] |
11 | 2004 | Avalanche | Khan Tengri | Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China | Serac fell onto a large group of climbers, killing 11 and injuring 14. [2] [3] |
11 | 1998 | Avalanche | Near Les Orres, Hautes Alpes | France | A group of 32 children, aged 13 to 15, two teachers, and four mountaineering guides were caught in an avalanche while snowshoeing during a week long class as part of a school trip. The avalanche risk at the time was rated 4 out of 5, and a trail manager commented that the students had been taken on a slope with a steep incline. [4] [5] [6] |
11 | 2008 | Avalanche | K2 | Pakistan, China | Primarily caused by ice avalanche that occurred at the Bottleneck, destroying climbers' rope lines, leaving them unable to descend. |
11 | 1967 | Lightning | Mount Nishihotaka, Hida Mountains | Japan | While on a high school trip led by a teacher, a severe thunderstorm with hail struck the summit. While the party of 46 was descending, they were directly hit by lightning, killing eleven and injuring nine. |
11 | 1913 | Hypothermia & Storm | Mount Kisokoma | Japan | A climb led by a school was interrupted by a typhoon. Several died of hypothermia while sheltering in a hut near the summit, and more died in the descent, trying to get to safety. |
11 | 1968 | Storm | Iztaccihuatl | Mexico | A storm with high winds and snow caught a group of 31 climbers on their way down. 11 of them died from hypothermia or falls. |
11 | 2013 | Terrorist attack | Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | 16 terrorists stormed mountaineering base camp and killed 10 climbers and one guide |
11 | 2022 | Avalanche | Marmolada | Italy | Massive avalanche triggered by serac collapse; ice and rock fell onto popular hiking trail that passed below the summit |
11 | 1981 | Avalanche | Mount Rainier | United States | Serac fall resulted avalanche/ice fall on Ingraham Glacier |
10 | 1962 | Storm & Hypothermia | Asahi-dake | Japan | During winter mountaineering training, 11 members of a university club were caught in a snowstorm. All but one perished due to hypothermia. [7] [8] [9] |
10 | 1993 | Avalanche | Chimborazo | Ecuador | An avalanche buried a group of climbers in a crevasse at 18,700ft, below the Veintimilla summit. |
10 | 1934 | Storm | Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | Group of climbers trapped by storm at 7,480m (24,50 ft) |
9 | 1959 | Disputed | Dyatlov Pass | Soviet Union | A group of 9 hikers perished in the Ural Mountains. Without witnesses, cause of death disputed. Recent investigations in 2019 and 2021 concluded that an avalanche was the most likely cause. |
9 | 1986 | Storm | Mount Hood | United States | Seven students and 2 adults caught in storm during high school trip to climb Mount Hood. |
9 | 2012 | Avalanche | Mont Maudit | France, Italy | An avalanche caught a large group of climbers, killing nine and injuring an additional nine, during a dawn ascent from Cosmiques Hut. |
9 | 1994 | Avalanche | Mont Blanc | France, Italy | Nine climbers killed in ice avalanche on Mont Blanc. [10] [11] |
9 | 1959 | Avalanche | Mount Yari | Japan | Members of a university mountaineering club were caught in an avalanche, killing 9. |
9 | 2024 | Storm | Between Lambtal and Sahastra Tal Peak | India | Sudden whiteout stranded mountaineering group on peak without gear for the extreme conditions. |
8 | 2008 | Avalanche | Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Blanc massif | France | Eight climbers killed due to serac fall before dawn. [12] [13] |
8 | 1993 | Avalanche | Grandes Jorasses, Mont Blanc Massif | France, Italy | 100 meter ice and rock avalanche caught group of eighteen climbers, killing eight. [14] [15] |
8 | 2009 | Hypothermia & Storm | Mount Tomuraushi | Japan | 8 members of 18 person guided tour group died of hypothermia. After cold and fatigue from crossing snowfields in crampons in heavy winds and rain, a river crossing soaked participants, worsening their hypothermia until many succumbed. Notably, participants did have warm enough gear, but were too hypothermic to put it on |
8 | 1940 | Avalanche | Mount Petegari | Japan | Nine members of Hokkaido University Mountaineering Club were caught in an avalanche. Only one survived. |
8 | 1989 | Storm & Hypothermia | Mount Tate | Japan | A blizzard struck during a climb of the three peaks of Tateyama, and when the party, already fatigued, continued on from the first hut, eight members died of hypothermia. Many of the parties’ equipment was inadequate for the variable weather of that time of year, with most having light hiking boots, cotton pants, and vinyl rain gear. |
8 | 1981 | Fall | Mount Gongga | China | Eight members of Japanese climbing team fell to their deaths. |
8 | 2017 | Avalanche | Chausuyama | Japan | 7 students and a teacher were killed when an avalanche struck a high school mountaineering club's training class. [16] |
8 | 2019 | Avalanche | Nanda Devi | India | A group of eight climbers were killed in an avalanche while attempting to summit a previously unclimbed subpeak of Nanda Devi. |
8 | 1996 | Storm | Mount Everest | Nepal, China | 8 climbers caught in blizzard, including both guided teams on South Col and climbers on the North Face |
8 | 2003 | Avalanche | Rysy | Poland | Members of high school sports club were swept in avalanche when attempting to climb Rysy in winter |
7 | 2015 | Avalanche | Dôme de Neige des Écrins | France | Seven were killed in late summer avalanche in Écrins National Park. [17] [18] |
7 | 2010 | Avalanche | Diemtig Valley | Switzerland | A group of ski mountaineers trying to rescue skier swept in avalanche were caught in a second avalanche, killing seven. [19] [20] |
7 | 1969 | Avalanche | Dhaulagiri | Nepal | Seven members of an American team were killed in an avalanche while attempting the southeast ridge. |
7 | 1967 | Storm | Denali | United States | Blizzard killed group of climbers. Later analysis found winds were likely near 480 km/h (300mph), quite possibly the worst conditions experienced by any mountaineers on record. |
7 | 2018 | Storm | Pigne d'Arolla | Switzerland | Ski mountaineers descending Pigne d'Arolla in whiteout conditions perished due to hypothermia |
7 | 1955 | Avalanche | Mount Temple | Canada | Seven youths were killed when avalanche swept down route |
7 | 1959 | Avalanche | Pico de Orizaba | Mexico | Expedition of 7 climbers went missing. Bodies were found in 2015 [21] |
7 | 2013 | Avalanche | Mount Masago | Japan | Avalanche on Mount Masago kills seven ski mountaineers. [22] [23] |
6 | 2021 | Avalanche | Chimborazo | Ecuador | An avalanche swept 16 climbers, killing six, at 6,100m (20,000ft). |
6 | 1930 | Hypothermia | Mount Tsurugi | Japan | Six members of a university mountaineering club were killed when an avalanche enveloped the mountain hut they were staying in. They were attempting a winter climb of the mountain. |
6 | 1934 | Hypothermia | Mount Asama | Japan | Six members of the Ministry of Railways Mountaineering club were caught in an avalanche while attempting a winter climb of the mountain. It is believed they died during ski descent. |
6 | 1980 | Undetermined | Mount Karamatsu | Japan | A high school teacher led five students on a winter climb of the mountain from Happo-one Ridge. The bodies were not located until May the following year. The teacher had almost no winter mountaineering experience, and the group had left their tent and compass behind. |
6 | 2015 | Avalanche | Queyras mountain range | France | Six ski mountaineers were killed when an avalanche swept them while trekking at 7,900ft. [24] [25] |
6 | 2007 | Avalanche | Jungfrau | Switzerland | A group of 14 soldiers were scaling Jungfrau in a mountaineering training exercise, when they were caught in an avalanche, killing six. [26] [27] |
6 | 2016 | Avalanche | Monte Nevoso | Italy | Avalanche swept group of ski mountaineers at 3,000m (9,800ft). [28] [29] |
6 | 1965 | Avalanche | Hidaka Mountains | Japan | Six Hokkaido University Mountaineering Club members were caught in an avalanche, likely while at camp, during a 14 day trip to climb several mountains in the area. One of the members had survived in a snow cave for four days before perishing. |
6 | 1995 | Avalanche | Mount Kisokoma | Japan | 6 climbers were caught and killed in avalanche near Senjojiki Cirque. |
6 | 1970 | Avalanche | Mount Everest | Nepal, China | Khumbu Icefall collapsed, killing six Sherpa porters |
6 | 1971 | Storm | Cairngorm Plateau | United Kingdom | Six 15-year-old students and two leaders were stranded in a blizzard, perishing of exposure. Britain's worst mountaineering accident. |
6 | 1974 | Avalanche | Mount Everest | Nepal, China | French expedition attempted West Ridge Direct on Everest, but were killed by an avalanche |
6 | 2012 | Hypothermia | Hakuba | Japan | Six doctors on a group climb of Mount Hakuba were found dead due to hypothermia. All were experienced and had warm gear in their packs, but were not found wearing it. Most likely, sudden heavy snowfall caused hypothermia, resulting in confusion. |
6 | 1993 | Disputed | Khamar-Daban mountains | Kazakhstan | 6 hikers died under disputed circumstances. According to autopsy, 5 died from hypothermia, and one died of heart attack. |
6 | 1995 | Storm | K2 | Pakistan, China | Six perished while returning from the summit, due to violent storm, with winds possibly up to 160 kph (100 mph) |
6 | 1939 | Cornice collapse | Mount Baker | United States | Six climbers fell to deaths when cornice collapsed [30] |
6 | 2014 | Fall | Mount Rainier | United States | Two guides and four clients fell to death on Liberty Ridge route. Possibly caused by avalanche. |
6 | 2024 | Hypothermia and Storm | Tête Blanche | France | Six ski tourers died of hypothermia while caught in a storm. [31] |
6 | 1953 | Fall | Mount Taranaki | New Zealand | Roped group of seven from a tramping club fell off Mount Taranaki’s Hongi bluff, with only one survivor. Conditions deteriorated during the descent, resulting in icy conditions, and climbers primarily had ski poles, with only one having an ice axe and crampons. [32] |
6 | 1990 | Fall | Mount Ruapehu | New Zealand | Seven soldiers, out of a party of thirteen, perished due to hypothermia when caught in blizzard during week-long mountaineering training. |
6 | 1991 | Fall | Annapurna | Nepal | Two Korean climbers and four guides were killed by an avalanche. [33] |
5 | 1930 | Unknown | Aoraki / Mount Cook | New Zealand | One guide and four women killed on Tasman Glacier, cause undetermined. [34] |
5 | 2000 | Avalanche | Tour Ronde,Mont Blanc massif | France, Italy | Eighteen caught in an avalanche on the Tour Ronde ascent of Mont Blanc, killing five and injuring thirteen others. [35] [36] |
5 | 2025 | Avalanche | Rimpfischhorn | Switzerland | Bodies of climbers found near avalanche cone, after their abandoned skis were found. [37] |
5 | 1916 | Hypothermia | Okuchichibu Mountains | Japan | Group got lost in Okuchichibu mountains, resulting in five people perishing of hypothermia. |
5 | 2011 | Avalanche | Haute Route | Switzerland | Five people were killed when an avalanche hit a party of eleven people, equipped with snow shoes and skis, who were undertaking the Haute Route. [38] |
5 | 1986 | Storm | K2 | Pakistan, China | Storm trapped climbers at Camp IV, with no food and no gas to melt snow into water. |
5 | 1981 | Fall | Mount Hood | United States | Five members of Mazamas died from a fall from Cooper Spur during their descent |
5 | 1994 | Hypothermia & Storm | Azuma Mountain Range | Japan | Group of seven ski tourers couldn’t find their hut for the night, with five eventually succumbing the next day to hypothermia. |
5 | 1972 | Avalanche | Asahi-dake | Japan | Avalanche hit group of university students pitching a tent. |
5 | 1973 | Avalanche | Yarihara | Japan | Avalanche hit university mountaineering club who were pitching a tent. |
5 | 1950 | Avalanche | Mount Tanigawa | Japan | 11 members of a high school mountaineering club were caught in an avalanche, killing five. |
5 | 1968 | Lynching | Malinche | Mexico | 5 mountain climbers killed by villagers who believed them to be communists |
5 | 2013 | Unknown, possibly avalanche | Kangchenjunga | Nepal, India | Five climbers disappeared during the descent |
5 | 2024 | Unknown, possibly avalanche | Dhaulagiri I | Nepal | Five Russian climbers went missing, possibly avalanche |
5 | 1973 | Avalanche | Annapurna | Nepal | Four Japanese climbers and one Nepalese climber were killed in an avalanche |
5 | 2002 | Avalanche | Shishapangma | China | Five members of university club killed on west face by avalanche. [39] |
5 | 2020 | Avalanche | Dachstein range | Austria | Five snowshoers were killed by large avalanche. [40] |
4 | 1977 | Hut Failure & Storm | Aoraki / Mount Cook | New Zealand | Four climbers were killed when the hut they were staying in, the Three Johns Hut, was pulled off its foundation from wind and thrown into the valley below. [41] |
4 | 1865 | Fall | Matterhorn | Switzerland, Italy | During first ascent of the Matterhorn, one man fell, pulling the other three down the north face. |
4 | 1936 | Avalanche | Eiger | Switzerland | Avalanche caught an already injured and exhausted party attempting to descend the north face |
4 | 2019 | Avalanche | Aletsch Glacier | Switzerland | Four ski tourers killed in an avalanche on the way to Konkordia hut. [42] |
4 | 1998 | Avalanche | Aonach Mor | United Kingdom | 4 were killed in avalanche |
4 | 1993 | Avalanche | Khan Tengri | Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China | Four killed when avalanche swept camp. [43] |
4 | 1997 | Volcanic gas poisoning | Mount Adatara | Japan | 14 members of a climb lost their way in fog, and accidentally entered a restricted area, resulting in four dying of hydrogen sulfide poisoning from inhaling volcanic gases. |
4 | 2007 | Avalanche | Mount Kamihorokamettoku | Japan | A group of eleven training on snow were caught in an avalanche near crater, and four were killed. |
4 | 2009 | Avalanche | Ren Zhong Feng | China | A collapsing serac caused a massive avalanche, which likely buried a Hungarian team attempting first climb of the mountain |
4 | 2013 | Avalanche | Bidean nam Bian | United Kingdom | 4 were killed in avalanche close to Church Door Buttress on the north side. The worst avalanche in Scottish history |
4 | 2012 | Avalanche | Denali | United States | Four climbers died in an avalanche [44] |
4 | 1954 | Fall | Mount Victoria | Canada | Three climbers and guide, roped together, fell to their deaths climbing Victoria Glacier [45] |
4 | 2023 | Fall | Pico de Orizaba | Mexico | Four climbers killed in a fall while climbing the southern slope [46] |
4 | 2003 | Avalanche | Mount Tasman | New Zealand | An avalanche caught a party of six, killing three guides and one climber. [47] |
4 | 2024 | Avalanche | Auvergne Region | France | An avalanche in Val d’Enfer killed four ski mountaineers. [48] |
4 | 2006 | Avalanche | K2 | Pakistan, China | Four Russian climbers killed in an avalanche [49] |
4 | 1905 | Fall | Kangchenjunga | Nepal, India | Behavioral issues with team leader resulted in team deciding to retreat to Camp III. During this retreat, a fall precipitated an avalanche that killed four. |
4 | 1987 | Fall | Lhotse | Nepal, China | Four spanish climbers fell 1,500 meters to their deaths in an avalanche. |
4 | 1959 | Fall | Cho Oyu | Nepal, China | Four killed in an avalanche |
4 | 1984 | Avalanche | Nanga Parbat | Pakistan | Four Japanese climbers went missing while attempting the Rupal face. [50] |
4 | 1998 | Avalanche | Gasherbrum I | Pakistan, China | Four Japanese climbers were killed in an avalanche |
4 | 1987 | Avalanche | Gasherbrum I | Pakistan, China | Four Pakistani men killed in an avalanche |
4 | 1997 | Unreleased | Königspitze | Italy | Four men fell to their deaths climbing the mountain. [51] |
4 | 1996 | Avalanche | Mont Blanc | France, Italy | Four die in avalanche on Mont Blanc. [52] |
4 | 2021 | Avalanche | Col du Galibier | France | Avalanche struck group of hikers, killing four. [53] |
4 | 2021 | Avalanche | Mount Velino | Italy | Four missing hikers were likely swept by avalanche. [54] |
4 | 2021 | Avalanche | Pic du Midi de Bigorre | France | Group was 300 feet below summit when snow shelf gave way, killing four. [55] |
4 | 1967 | Storm & Hypothermia | Sandelvbreen | Norway | Group of seven on ski mountaineering trip got caught in storm. [56] |
4 | 1987 | Unknown, possibly Avalanche | Shishapangma | China | Four men from German expedition missing, likely due to avalanche |