A Chilean mountaineer died this Tuesday after suffering a fall of 900 meters during an expedition on the Huascarán snow-capped mountain, in the Áncash department, in Peru. The victim of the accident has been identified as Andrés Regueira Solo de Zaldívar, a 21-year-old young man who was a Law student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. The young man was also a volunteer firefighter in a company in the Chicureo sector, north of Santiago de Chile. He was accompanied by another Chilean, Michael Millán, 31, who alerted authorities and managed to survive after receiving aid from the Peruvian rescue teams.
Regueira’s body was recovered this Wednesday while procedures are being carried out to arrange his repatriation through the Chilean consulate in Lima.
Andrés Regueira was passionate about mountaineering, as reflected in several images shared on social media, showing him on some climbs in the Chilean mountains. A week ago, in one of his last Instagram posts, the Chilean recounted the difficulties of the expedition due to bad weather conditions and how he and his companion had decided to return to their base. “We came down saddened, downclimbing that steeper part and, once down, in the adjacent gully we heard a mini avalanche. For me, at least, it was a sign that it was a good decision, although I will definitely try again with prior days that ensure conditions and with plenty of stakes. Anyway, the real summit is returning home and there will always be new opportunities,” he wrote.
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He entered the Catholic University in 2024. Gabriel Bocksang, dean of the Faculty of Law, has lamented his death. “Such an early and unexpected departure deeply moves us. I would like to ask the entire Derecho UC community to be united in prayer for Andrés, for his family, friends, and loved ones. In particular, I would also like to thank Andrés for the constant dedication he gave us as a student,” said the academic.
Chicureo Fire Company, where he served as a volunteer alongside his brother, Pablo Regueira, also sent condolences and mourned his death. “We appreciate the moments shared with him and the time he gave us. We want to support his family and friends in this difficult time, especially his brother, our volunteer Pablo Regueira, sending them all our love, support, and affection,” the firefighters wrote in a message shared on their Instagram account.
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What happened on the Huascarán snow-capped mountain
The circumstances of the Chilean mountaineer’s death are still under investigation. According to a publication by the Agencia Andina, Regueira died last Tuesday after falling approximately 900 meters while climbing the Gusher route, located on the northeast face of Huascarán. The personnel of the High Mountain Police Department and specialists from the Peruvian Andean Rescue were alerted about the incident and activated a rescue operation. After extensive work, emergency teams managed to recover the body this Wednesday to transfer it to the local morgue.
Peruvian emergency teams were alerted about the fatal fall thanks to the notice given by his friend, Michael Millán, who accompanied him on the climb up Huascarán. Millán, originally from the city of Concepción, in southern Chile, managed to survive and descend on his own to a refuge located at the Llanganuco lagoon, where he alerted authorities about what happened in the high mountain.
The Huascarán snow-capped mountain, 6,768 meters, is the fourth highest peak in the Andes mountain range. A difficult mountain, with frequent avalanches. The Gusher route, where the Chilean climber’s fall was recorded, has been described as one of the most technical and dangerous on the mountain. Due to its high complexity, steep slope, and constant rockfall, very few mountaineers traverse it.