The deceased were among a group of 12 people, including two leaders, who have been living since April 30. A rescue party began climbing on Monday to reach the survivors, Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief told state media.
At 4,750 meters (15,580 feet), Klyuchevskaya Sopka is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the survivors were transported by helicopter to the nearest village of Klyuchi in the Ust-Kamchatka District on Tuesday morning. RIA Novosti noted that one of the survivors had suffered frostbite when rescuers reached them.
According to local media, the survivors will eventually be evacuated to Petropavlovsk on a plane from the Regional Center for Disaster Medicine.
Izvestiya, one of Russia’s main daily newspapers, reported that part of the rescue team remained on the volcano after the survivors were evacuated. The remaining rescuers will decide how to evacuate the bodies at an altitude of 4,158 meters (13,641 feet) after the weather forecast is known.
Conditions on the volcano are treacherous and unpredictable, with strong winds, bitterly cold temperatures and snow at high altitudes.
Previous search and rescue attempts to reach those trapped were unsuccessful as strong winds prevented a helicopter from landing on the volcano on Sunday, a day after five members of the group fell to their deaths. As of Monday morning, three more had died, Russian Deputy Prime Minister of Kamchatka Roman Vasilevsky told RIA Novosti.
The minister for emergency situations in the region where the volcano is located has set up an information hotline for members of the climbing group, a spokesman told RIA Novosti.
“Relatives can find out about the course of the search and rescue operations and, if necessary, receive psychological help,” said the press service of the ministry.
A criminal case has been launched to investigate the cause of death, RIA Novosti reported.