Tragic Fall: Climber Plummets Over 500ft to His Death

A CLIMBER plummeted over 500 feet to his death in a horrifying fall while his friend who was stuck clinging to a rock face was forced to look on. Shafiq Noorani, 52, was climbing Citadel Peak in Colorado on New Year’s Eve when he fell off the ridge and into the basin below in front of his horrified climbing partner. Noorani was an experienced climber and tackled the 13,294 foot mountain with his friend, both taking the advanced mountaineering route. After reaching the peak and beginning the descent, the emergency services received a frantic call around 2pm informing them of the horrifying fall. Noorani’s climbing partner called 911 after watching him fall to his death while she was stuck clinging for her life to the same ridge. She was precariously perched on a rock face at around 12,800 feet, rescuers have said. The rescue and recovery operation carried out by the volunteer Alpine Rescue Team took seven hours due to strong winds and the difficult terrain. A Colorado National Guard helicopter found Noorani’s body and winched his climbing partner up into the chopper. Steve Wilson, public information officer for the Alpine Rescue Team told reporters that both climbers were experienced and well-equipped and “not on an unreasonable route” for their climbing level. He noted that an investigation is ongoing but said the “exact nature of the fall is not known” and it’s “unlikely that it will ever be”. “Having the experience, the equipment, the knowledge and the skills doesn’t guarantee anything,” Wilson added. “Tragic accidents can still happen and unfortunately, they still happen every day.” The Clear Creek County Coroner confirmed that Noorani died from blunt force trauma. Noorani’s heartbroken family have paid tribute to the “gentle-hearted” climber who moved to the US from Tanzania at the age of 5. “He supported a school in Nepal, bought new desks for a school in Moshi, Tanzania (and had local carpenters make them), sponsored students internationally, and donated to countless organizations,” his younger brother Husein told USA Today. “He was the kinda guy who picked up trash on trails. He believed in leaving places (and people) better than he found them. “There is so much to learn from the way Shafiq lived, but right now, just imagining reconstructing our lives without him is so, so painful. “We don’t want to do it. We love and miss you so much, Shafiq. Our Shafiq.” A celebration of his life is being held in Denver on January 18.