Hikers Found on Japanese Volcano Are Feared Dead
At least 31 hikers were found unconscious and feared to be dead near the peak of a volcano in central Japan on Sunday, a day after it suddenly erupted, a police spokesman said. The danger of another eruption and of a release of toxic gases made it impossible to bring most of them down, he said. The spokesman, Naofumi Niyairi, said rescuers had found the fallen hikers near the top of Mount Ontake, a 10,062- foot volcano that erupted in a spectacular geyser of ash on Saturday, when the mountain was busy with climbers who had gone to see the first signs of autumn. Television images showed that the ash had blanketed the mountain’s upper slopes, turning them into a gray, lifeless moonscape. Many of the hikers were found covered in ash, and perfunctory examinations showed their hearts and lungs had stopped, Mr. Niyairi said. He said rescuers were carrying four of the fallen climbers down the mountain, but the rest had to be left behind, as the mountain continued to spew smoke on Sunday...
