Latest news with #Vandeira
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
More Deaths in Peru: Bodies of National Geographic Photographer, Two Others Found
BY MARY ANDINO With an elevation of over 6,000m and treacherous routes to the summit, Mt. Artesonraju in the Peruvian Andes rarely sees ascents. The tragic deaths this month of an experienced climbing party show why it remains such a dangerous mountain. Several weeks after their initial disappearance, three climbers — including National Geographic photographer Edson Vandeira — were found dead on the Peruvian mountain this week. Vandeira, 36, a Brazilian native and resident of Peru, set out for the summit on May 29 with Efraín Pretel Alonzo, 34, and Jesus Manuel Picon Huerta, 31, two Peruvian mountaineers. When they did not return on June 1 as planned, volunteers began a rescue operation using drones and helicopters. After 10 days with no results, the search ended, and on June 22, the Association of Mountain Guides of Peru confirmed that they had found the climbers' bodies using drone reconnaissance. The exact timeline of events is not clear, but large falling blocks of ice likely caused the accident. The mountain has been the site of other accidents, including in 2006, when three American climbers died after falling into a crevasse. In 2018, three mountaineers perished from an avalanche. Conditions can change quickly on the mountain, and the risk of avalanches is high. With 17 years of alpine experience under his belt, Vandeira was a skilled mountaineer, The Minnesota Star-Tribune reported. In fact, Vandeira was attempting to summit Mt. Artesonraju as part of his training to become a certified mountain guide. National Geographic has featured Vandeira's photography, including this feature story on jaguars in Brazil. His work was also featured in the History Channel's Andes Extremo, a series following ascents of six of the Andes' highest peaks. Vandeira's photography ranged from capturing the peaks of Everest to showcasing voluntary veterinarians attempting to help wildlife in Brazil during wildfires. Other major projects included documenting Brazil's science program in Antarctica. Vandeira lived in Minnesota for several years, and there was an outpouring of support and grief in the local climbing community following the tragic news. 'Beyond being an extraordinarily skilled mountaineer and climber, he is an incredible human: Kind, passionate, and inspiring,' Sayyed Saif Alnabi wrote in the Minnesota Climbers Facebook group. Vandeira's former wife, Natalia Mossman Koch, launched a GoFundMe to pay for recovery efforts and help Vandeira's family travel to Peru. As of yesterday afternoon, the fundraiser had only reached about $3,500 of its $7,000 goal. Check out Vandeira's photography portfolio on his website. Vandeira's family and the Association of Mountain Guides of Peru did not respond to requests for comment. This story first appeared on GearJunkie.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Former Minnesota resident goes missing while climbing in Peru
Former Minnesota resident goes missing while climbing in Peru originally appeared on Bring Me The News. A campaign has been launched to raise money to assist with the search for a former Minnesota resident who has gone missing while climbing in Peru. Edson Vandeira, a Brazilian national, went missing along with two Peruvians while climbing the demanding Artesonraju Mountain on June 1 as part of a technical expedition. "In the early hours of the rescue, the team's tent was found empty. There are signs that the group had reached the summit and that something serious had possibly happened during the descent," reads a GoFundMe launched by Natalia Mossmann Koch. Koch is Vandeira's ex-wife and a University of Minnesota associate who lives in St. Paul. She says they were married for nine years, four of which were spent in the U.S., and that he is an experienced climber. The fundraiser she has launched will send money to Peru to help with the operational costs of the rescue, providing food for volunteers and any other emergency expenses that Vandeira's family needs. "The search is in full swing. Rescue teams are being mobilized urgently, involving local climbers, guides, police officers, friends and family," Koch writes. "However, high mountain rescue is extremely complex, demanding intense logistics, specific equipment, food, high altitude travel and a lot of human and technical commitment." "Every minute is precious. We continue with hope and united by a greater purpose: to bring our friends back," she adds. View the to see embedded media. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
