British climber dies after being hit by falling rock in Yosemite National Park

A British man has died in California's Yosemite National Park after he was struck by a loose rock while climbing.

Felix Joseph Kiernan, 28, from London, was about 600ft up the East Buttress of El Capitan route on Sunday when a rock was dislodged by his climbing partner.

According to the Press Association, the rock was around 1ft by 2ft and fell approximately 150ft before it struck Kiernan at 2pm.

Climbers below immediately called for help but when Yosemite Park Rangers and Yosemite Search and Rescue reached him two hours later he was pronounced dead, the national park said.

The incident was the second presumed fatality at the park over the weekend after a 19-year-old boy was swept down a 600ft waterfall while swimming. Rescuers continue to search for missing Aleh Kalman but a park spokesman said: "It's almost a 600-foot vertical drop; we do believe it's impossible to survive a fall like that."



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