10:37 | Yungay (Ancash region), Jun. 26.
One of the two Japanese mountaineers who had gone missing on Mount Huascaran, Yungay province (Ancash region), has died, according to rescue workers.
The two foreign citizens were found in an area over 6,400 meters above sea level, but both showed signs of hypothermia and altitude sickness.
The high-mountain rescue team —led by guide Eric Calvo Yupanqui— located the climbers after 30 hours of searching following the activation of the emergency call.
During that time, the women endured nighttime temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius.
The rescue team found Japanese mountaineers Chiaki Inada (40) and Saki Terada (36) with vital signs but in critical condition, exposed to the extreme cold on Peru's highest mountain.
The recovery took place in the area known as La Garganta, located between 6,400 and 6,700 meters above sea level, where visibility was low due to fog, snowstorms, and a temperature of -30 degrees Celsius
The athletes had undertaken the expedition without an official guide, which complicated the rescue efforts.
It was reported that the deceased mountaineer was identified as Chiaki Inada, a 40-year-old physician. She did not survive and died from severe hypothermia.
Meanwhile, Saki Terada managed to survive, but her condition remains critical.
They had ascended Mount Huascaran several days earlier as part of an international expedition and were experienced in high-altitude mountaineering.
The rescue team had departed from Huascaran's base camp, located at approximately 4,000 meters above sea level, which they had reached with the support of a Peruvian National Police (PNP) helicopter that had been deployed to Huaylas province for this operation.
The operation is made up of High Mountain Rescue Unit officers, Huascaran National Park personnel, Peruvian Mountain Guides Association (AGMP) members, and volunteer team members. The efforts are being carried out with the support of a PNP helicopter.
According to Wilderness Medical Associates Japan (WMAJ), an organization that provides assistance in natural disaster situations, Inada stopped moving near the summit of the mountain in the early hours of June 24 due to physical weakness caused by hypothermia, and contacted local rescue services via satellite communication.
She is believed to have already been descending the mountain. Inada had received training in mountain first aid.
On June 16, she posted a photo on social media alongside Terada, including the message: “I'm going to enjoy every moment!”
The extreme conditions in the area make it difficult to recover the victim’s body. Only Saki Terada was evacuated and is currently receiving medical care.
In the early hours of Thursday, a second rescue team set out at 4:00 a.m. (local time) from the base camp to help transport mountaineer Saki Terada so she can receive specialized medical care and to retrieve the body of the deceased foreign climber.
Mount Huascaran —located in the Cordillera Blanca— is the highest peak in the South American country and poses a challenge for mountaineers from all over the world.
Therefore, authorities recommend climbing it only with certified guides and experience in this type of expedition.
This season, Ancash region has reported other emergencies in the Cordillera Blanca, such as the incident on Mount Artesonraju, where three young mountaineers lost their lives following a high-altitude accident.
(END) MRV/MAO/MVB
Published: 6/26/2025