To all those that have been over to the Lofoten Islands in the last two years I have recieved some very sad news that Johnny Kamsvag sadly died two weeks ago in a climbing accident.
On the Sunday, two weeks ago, Johnny and one of his climbing friends went up Lille Kongstind on the ski lift and had planned to go by foot up the ridge to Store Kongstind and carry on to the nest peak, Løva, to do some ice-climbing. About half way up towards Store Kongstind, Johnny trod on what appeared to be snow-covered rock but was in fact an ice/snow overhang. When he trod on it, it gave way and caused an avalanche in which he was caught. His mate saw him disappear over the edge and he wasn't able to see where he landed. He quickly went down by the side of the avalanche and got to an area where he could use his mobile to ring for help. Within about half an hour, one of their other mates had come to the scene and they began searching for Johnny. After only 10 minutes, they found him and started digging. By this time about 30 minutes had passed. When they had cleared his face, they gave mouth to mouth resuscitation and a third man arrived to give heart compression. The rescue helicopter arrived from Bodö and he was taken on board and flown to the general hospital in Bodö. On the way, they got a heartbeat but breathing was through a respirator. On reaching the hospital they'd lost the heartbeat and tried for 2 hours to revive him but it wasn't possible. The doctor explained that too much time had passed while he was under the snow for him to have made a full recovery. I have been assured and am confident that everything was done to try and revive Johnny, but the tragic fall into the avalanche combined with his being under the snow for over 30 minutes reduced his chances of survival dramatically.
He will be terribly missed by myself and other climbers who had the pleasure in meeting the is wonderful kind harted man.
our sympathies to his family and friend
