Air France pilot falls 1,000ft to his death while hiking California mountain

22 October 2023 , 10:27

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Rescue teams were deployed to find the missing hiker (Image: Facebook/Inyo County Sheriffs Office)

An Air France pilot tragically plunged 1,000ft to his death while hiking the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States.

Tom Gerbier, 38, of Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, vanished as he ventured to Mount Whitney at the Sequoia National Park in California.

Gerbier began his trek at Whitney Portal near the town of Lone Pine on Tuesday, according to the National Park Service, which issued a statement on Friday.

He was reported missing after he didn't turn up for his return flight on Wednesday. The park and local authorities sent ground teams to the area the following day.

The area is known to be steep and narrow (Inyo Search and Rescue)

Inyo Search and Rescue noticed clues that a hiker could have fallen off the cliff in a section called “The Notch.” A helicopter crew was dispatched and traced a "motionless hiker" in clothing matching Gerbier’s description at the bottom of the area, reports San Francisco Chronicle. Tulare County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Gerbier’s identity after his body was recovered that evening.

Mummified woman found on mountain thought to be climber missing for 41 years

Air France later issued a statement and said Gerbier was on a stopover in Los Angeles at the time of the incident. The airline added it “regrets to confirm the accidental death of one of its pilots, which occurred on October 20th, 2023 while he was on a stopover in Los Angeles (California). The company offers its most sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Inyo Search and Rescue paid tribute and said it extended “our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the Gerbier family, his friends, and his colleagues at Air France. Many were integral in helping the search efforts by providing gear descriptions and other information. Thank you.”

The pilot started made his way to Mount Whitney on Tuesday (AP)

The team warned of the dangers of the popular mountain which rises 14,494 feet on the eastern border of the park. They said Gerbier had a permit to climb the mountain via a route known as the Mountaineer’s Route, which is described as “a technical climbing objective requiring high-level mountaineering skills and equipment.” The route leads hikers through a narrow ravine that’s prone to rock slides. The group stressed: “It is not a hike and has claimed multiple lives in recent years."

They added: "Gerbier was described as an experienced mountaineer and ultra runner with the gear and ability to complete his intended route." His death is the second fatality to take place within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks this year, according to the National Park Service.

Monica Charsley