Man falls from steep gully in NZ - Neo Chai Chin

Rating: **
Freak accidents like these solidify my fear of rock climbing.
Mr. Ong, of Singapore, was a 21-year-old man with five years of mountain-climbing experience. He began climbing at a rock climbing club, and aspired to be a mountaineering guide after he finished university. On a trip to New Zealand, Mr. Ong attempted a climb a more difficult ridge of Mount Aspiring with his climbing partner. They were climbing unroped, with Mr. Ong behind his partner. About 200 metres to the summit, Mr. Ong lost his footing, and fell. He crashed to his death, falling a total of 800 metres and dying from a twisted neck.
Mr. Ong, from the contents of the article, seemed to be a thrill seeker. Not only did he enjoy climbing mountains, but he did so unroped. Now, I am not a rock climbing expert, but I am one hundred percent sure that I would never attempt to climb without some sort of safety or support. If Mr. Ong was intent on climbing ropeless, he should have looked into alternate paths to the summit, rather than opting for the most difficult face to climb. Once again in the outdoor world, the loss of a life could have been prevented by simple pre-trip planning. It is so important to know the area and supply yourself with the right equipment. Whenever I set out on any outing in the wilderness, I will make sure to be thorough in my pre-trip planning, so as not to end up the subject of a tragic news article.
Mr. Ong certainly lived life to the fullest, but a little pre-trip planning could mean that he still would be.
• Chin, Neo Chai. " Home >> Hot News >> Man falls from steep gully in NZ Email Print Bookmark and Share Man falls from steep gully in NZ." Today Online. N.p., 7 Dec. 2010. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. .