A woman has died after pushing her fellow ice climber to safety as they tried to climb a frozen waterfall in Utah, according to authorities.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Duchesne county sheriff’s office said that it received reports on Sunday of an ice column falling as a group of three ice climbers tried to climb Raven Falls, a frozen waterfall near Indian Canyon in central eastern Utah.
One climber, identified as 41-year-old Meg O’Neill in the New York Post, pushed her fellow 21-year-old climber out of the way, “which probably saved her life”. The sheriff’s office added that the woman was “able to climb down the terrain and drive to Duchesne City to contact 911 for help”.
“Unfortunately, the climber that pushed her fellow climber out of the way of the falling ice was trapped underneath two huge blocks of ice and did not survive. Our sincere condolences go out to her family and friends,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, another climber, a 34-year-old man, fell around 40ft when the ice column fractured upon impact. He was able to be hoisted off the mountain by helicopter and was transported to the Wasatch front with serious injuries, the statement said, referring to a metropolitan region in north-central Utah.
Pictures posted online by the sheriff’s department showed the Raven Falls area covered in thick layers of snow and ice. In one photo, an ice column that detached from Raven Falls stood taller than several people next to it.
Other photos showed a helicopter airlifting one of the climbers and flowers that were placed in the area where the tragedy happened.
“Our sincere condolences to all affected by this tragedy, to the family of this brave, courageous woman who lost her life while saving another. We hope that all may find comfort and all the warm support will prevail over your hearts while mourning the loss of your loved one,” the sheriff’s department said.
O’Neill worked at Embark Outdoors, a nonprofit designed to empower young refugee women via outdoor education and sports.
Embark Outdoors posted a statement on its Instagram honoring O’Neill, saying: “We have lost a dear friend, a hero, and our fearless leader.”
“Most of our girls have known Meg for half their life. She’d been a mentor to them since 7th grade. She was the heart and soul of this program,” it added.
