- Friday, June 06, 2025
The group noticed a storm and tried to retreat, but during their descent the team’s anchor point failed and sent them plunging 200 feet
By: India Weekly
AN INDIAN-ORIGIN techie was among the three people who died in a tragic climbing accident in Washington state’s North Cascades Range of western North America.
The tragedy happened on Saturday, when Vishnu Irigireddy, 48, a resident of Seattle, was attempting to climb North Early Winters Spire area of the Cascades along with his three friends, Tim Nguyen, 63, Oleksander Martynenko, 36, and Anton Tselykh, 38, NBC News reported.
According to the Climbing website, the group noticed a storm and tried to retreat, but during their descent the team’s anchor point failed and sent the group plunging 200 feet.
Tselykh, the sole survivor, miraculously survived the fall and drove 64 kilometres to inform the authorities about the accident.
Vishnu’s friends and family describe him as an experienced climber “who found joy and purpose in nature.”
“Originally from India, and a proud member of Seattle’s vibrant tech and cultural community, Vishnu built a life that reflected his values — integrity, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of growth,” a note by family and friends on remembr.com website said.
Vishnu was working as vice president of Engineering at Fluke Corporation, a test equipment manufacturing company in the Greater Seattle Area.
His company described him as an extraordinary leader, and his loss is being “felt profoundly” across the organization.
According to a notice for his cremation ceremony, to be held on Thursday, his friends and family would be making donations to two non-profits to honor Vishnu and made an appeal to others to donate.
Tselykh is currently in hospital and is being treated for internal bleeding and a traumatic brain injury.
North Early Winters Spire, a granite peak in the Liberty Bell group of the North Cascades, is popular among experienced climbers. (PTI)
