1 climber dead, 2 injured in Mount Rainier rock fall

(Update: Injured climber in serious condition)

MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) – Officials say a climber died and two others were injured in a rock fall on Mount Rainier.

Mount Rainier National Park spokesman Kevin Bacher says a rescue team responded to six climbers caught in a rock fall at 10,400 feet Wednesday.

He says one climber died on the mountain and two others were taken by helicopter to hospitals. The three other climbers were uninjured.

Bacher says a climber on the Liberty Ridge route called 911 at 8 p.m. Wednesday, reporting that a rock fall had swept through the site where three parties of two were camping on their way to the summit.

Park rangers responded in a helicopter Thursday morning, taking the most seriously injured climber to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Thursday evening the 37-year-old man was in serious condition.

The others were flown out later Thursday.