Kyrgyzstan
Tourist films a huge avalanche – at the last moment he escapes to safety
A group of tourists were surprised by an avalanche while hiking in Kyrgyzstan
© Harry Shimmin / Instagram
In Kyrgyzstan, a tourist filmed an avalanche heading straight for him. It was only later that he and his companions realized how narrowly he had escaped death.
Most Germans are hardly familiar with Kyrgyzstan, but the country in Central Asia has a lot to offer in terms of landscape: In particular, the endless steppes and impressive mountain landscapes with peaks over 7000 meters. The Tian Shan Mountains stretch for thousands of kilometers and attract hikers and climbers.
However, a group of hikers who only just managed to save themselves from an avalanche had to realize that it can also be dangerous there. British tourist Harry Shimmin posted a video on YouTube and Instagram showing huge masses of snow rolling down the mountain at a rapid pace. It was only with luck that the group of nine Brits and one American escaped unscathed.
Kyrgyzstan: avalanche surprises tourist group
Shimmin and his companions had booked a guided tour and had arrived at the highest point of the tour with their guide. There they stopped to take photos. But suddenly a glacier broke away, and a dark rumbling can be heard that grew louder and louder. Shimmin chose to continue filming rather than flee. “I’m very aware that I took a big risk. I felt like I had everything under control,” he explained. His video has already been viewed more than 500,000 times on social networks.
Only at the last moment did the Brit get to safety, the avalanche rolled over him. He was able to free himself from the light snow without any problems. Despite his death-defying action, he felt afraid, Shimmin says: “When the snow started to fall and it got dark or breathing became difficult, I was exhausted and thought I could die.” Nothing happened to his companions either. Only one woman was injured in the knee and had to be treated in the hospital.
After everything was over, Shimmin reports that he and the rest of the group experienced a real adrenaline rush. “We all laughed and cried at the same time, happy that we are still alive,” said the Briton. They later realized that if they had “walked five more minutes uphill,” they would probably be dead.
Sources: Harry Shimmin on Youtube / Harry Shimmin on Instagram