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3 Americans die scaling Kilimanjaro in Africa

MOUNT KILIMANJARO NATIONAL PARK, Tanzania - The climbers were asleep in their tents, hoping to get a few hours of rest before a predawn ascent of Africa's highest peak, when the boulders rained down. Three Americans were killed and two others seriously injured.

The Americans were among several dozen foreign climbers from various tour groups camped near Arrow glacier on Kilimanjaro's difficult Western Breach during the rock slide Wednesday.

The dead were identified as Kristian Ferguson, 27, of Longmont, Colo.; Mary Lou Sammis, 58, of Huntington, N.Y.; and Betty Orrik Sapp, 63, of Melrose, Mass.

The injured Americans were flown to Nairobi, Kenya, for treatment, said James Wakibara, acting spokesman for Mount Kilimanjaro National Park.

Of the world's top peaks, Kilimanjaro is among the easiest to scale, though it can be deadly.

The climbers set out Saturday to climb the Umbwe route, the most difficult on Kilimanjaro, which at 19,443 feet is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Even so, the route is only a very difficult hike, not requiring safety ropes or special equipment.

More than 20,000 tourists attempt to climb the mountain every year. About 10 people die each year during the climb, usually from high altitude sickness. But rock slides are rare, Wakibara said.

"The possible explanation I hear on this could be earth movement or vibration," he said. "It has never happened like this in the past."

Regional police commander Mohamed Chico said experts were on the mountain Thursday trying to determine the cause.

[Last modified January 6, 2006, 01:05:09]