Austrian climber David Lama, one of three climbers presumed dead in Canadian avalanche
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Canadian authorities did not release the names of the three men, but said they were one American and two Europeans and described them as highly experienced professional mountain athletes.
Austrian climber David Lama is among three renowned professional alpinists who are missing and presumed dead after an avalanche in Canada's Rocky Mountains, Parks Canada said on Thursday.
Climbing media named the men as 28-year-old David Lama, fellow Austrian Hansjörg Auer, 35, and American Jess Roskelley, 36, saying they were killed after attempting to climb a challenging route on Howse Peak in Banff National Park.
Canadian authorities did not release the names of the three men, but said they were one American and two Europeans and described them as highly experienced professional mountain athletes.
Lama and Auer were world-class mountaineers who had climbed some of the toughest routes around the globe.
Roskelley was best-known for climbing Mount Everest at age 20 in 2003, making him the youngest person at the time to have climbed the world's highest mountain.
Parks Canada said in a statement the party was attempting the east face of Howse Peak. The three men probably started their ascent on Tuesday, Stephen Holeczi, Parks Canada visitor safety specialist said.
They were reported overdue on Wednesday.