29-year-old alpinist Niko Paliani died during an expedition on Mount Ushba, according to his relatives and family friends. The accident occurred on May 22.
According to the Emergency Management Service, four people were climbing Mount Ushba when one of them fell from a height. A helicopter from the Border Police took part in the search and rescue operation for Niko Paliani and his companions.
“During the rescue operation, the rescuers successfully evacuated three people by helicopter and discovered the body of the deceased at an altitude of 3,600 meters,” the agency's statement said.
An internationally certified mountain guide and alpinist from Mestia, Paliani regularly organized adventure tours in the mountains and glaciers of Svaneti.
