Archil Badriashvili died on mount Shkhelda after lightning strike

Archil Badriashvili was on an expedition on Shkhelda with three other climbers. They reported that on August 10, while descending from the peak, the weather worsened, and a rock fell near Archil, causing him to fall off the ridge.

His friends on the expedition made it back that same day and notified emergency management that they needed urgent help. Employees of the Mestia rescue service and local mountaineers set out for Shkhelda around 17:00-18:00 after receiving the notification. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs helicopter was only involved in the rescue operation on the second day, on the morning of August 11.

Residents of Svaneti are demanding an explanation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They want to know

• why the helicopter was not involved in the rescue operation on the same day when the weather improved in the Shkhelda area on the evening of August 10;
• why the helicopter was late to land in Svaneti on the morning of August 11;
• and why the helicopter was not provided with the required amount of fuel.

After the three surviving members of the expedition were safely transported to Mestia on the morning of August 11, the helicopter was parked for more than half a day and flew to the valley for the second time only after a vehicle loaded with aviation fuel arrived in Svaneti and the pilots refueled.

The media relations representative of the Emergency Situations Management Service told: that on the evening of August 10, the weather was bad in Svaneti, with rain and hail, which made it impossible to fly. However, local residents dispute this, stating that in the evening, before nightfall, for about three hours, there was no more rain, thunder, or fog.

Archil Badriashvili received numerous significant awards in the field of mountaineering. In 2022, he, along with Bakar Gelashvili and Giorgi Tepnadze, was awarded the Golden ice axe Prize.

Climbing.ge expresses deep sorrow over the death of Archil Badriashvili and extends its condolences to his family and friends.