Malaysian Climber Dies of Exposure on Denali, North America's Tallest Mountain in Alaska

A tragic event unfolded earlier this week on North America's tallest mountain, Denali, as Malaysian climber Zulkifli Bin Yusof, 36, likely succumbed to exposure and altitude-related illness. Yusof was found in a snow cave at an elevation of 19,600 feet, where he had taken shelter with minimal survival gear. After days of being stranded, the National Park Service recovered his body on Friday night.

The Climbing Team

Yusof was part of a three-man climbing team, all affiliated with the Alpine Club of Malaysia. Despite their distress call on Tuesday, Yusof's two partners were able to survive the ordeal. One of the men, aged 48, was rescued on Tuesday night after descending to a 17,200-foot camp but was found to have severe frostbite and hypothermia. The rescue teams' subsequent attempts to reach the remaining climbers were hindered by adverse weather conditions.

Rescue Efforts

Despite the challenges, a high-altitude helicopter pilot was able to drop a duffle bag of survival gear near the climbers' location on Thursday evening. With improved weather conditions on Friday, rescue teams successfully dropped a short haul basket to reach the stranded climber. The rescued individual was subsequently transferred to an Anchorage hospital for further medical attention.

Experience and Recovery

According to park spokesman Paul Ollig, two of the climbers, including Yusof, had previous experience on Denali and had also climbed other high-elevation mountains. While one survivor is recovering at a hospital, the other was reported to be in remarkably strong condition upon rescue, showing resilience despite the arduous ordeal.