Briton killed climbing in Yosemite

A BRITISH man has died in a rock-climbing accident in Yosemite National Park in the United States.

Felix Joseph Kiernan, 28, from London, was climbing on the East Buttress of El Capitan, a popular climbing route in Yosemite Valley, California, when he was struck by a rock at about 2pm local time on Sunday, the National Park Service said.

Mr Kiernan was about 600ft up the climbing route when a loose block was dislodged by his climbing partner, also from England.

The block of granite, estimated to measure 1ft by 2ft, fell approximately 150ft before striking Mr Kiernan and causing fatal injuries, according to the National Park Service.

A party climbing just below Mr Kiernan immediately called the Yosemite Emergency Communication Centre and reported the incident.

Yosemite National Park rangers and search and rescue workers were sent to El Capitan, where they began climbing the route to get to the injured man. They reached Mr Kiernan at about 4pm but he was pronounced dead.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are aware of the death of a British national and we are providing consular assistance to the family.”