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French National Killed By Fall On Mount Whitney

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Published Date

October 20, 2023

An Air France pilot died in a fall on Mount Whitney in California/US Forest Service

An Air France pilot who headed to Mount Whitney for a hike on his day off died in a fall on the mountain, according to Sequoia National Park staff.

A release from the park Friday said that Tom Gerbier, a French National of Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, and pilot for Air France, was reported missing when he didn’t show up for his return flight. He started his hike from Whitney Portal early Tuesday morning, October 17, via the Mountaineering Route and was due back on a flight on Wednesday, October 18.  

Inyo (California) County Sheriff’s Office took the lead on this search and rescue operation with fly-overs of Mt. Whitney on Wednesday, the day Gerbier was reported missing, with no result. Early on Thursday morning the National Park Service and Inyo County launched ground teams into the area. As ground teams began to summit on the Mountaineering Route, they noticed clues that a hiker may have fallen off a cliff in the area known as “The Notch.”

The NPS helicopter assisting with search operations was redirected to that area and located a motionless hiker with clothing matching the description provided. The hiker had fallen about 1,000 feet. Thursday evening crews were able to recover Gerbier’s body via helicopter and transferred to Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed his identity. 

This marks the second fatality for Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks this year. 

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