NALCHIK, August 18. /TASS/. A group of climbers who lost contact while ascending Mount Elbrus has been evacuated, the Russian Emergencies Ministry's Main Directorate for Kabardino-Balkaria said.

"The rescue operation on Mount Elbrus has been successfully completed. A group of eight climbers was caught in bad weather and was located near the saddle. In addition, upon arriving at the site, Russian Emergencies Ministry specialists discovered another group of six tourists who were also unable to descend on their own due to the bad weather. Rescuers evacuated both groups, 14 people in total, to the Azau Glade. They declined medical assistance," the ministry's press service told reporters.

As TASS reported earlier, the group of eight climbers lost contact while ascending Mount Elbrus. The climbers had registered their route with the Emergencies Ministry. Rescuers from the Elbrus High-Altitude Search and Rescue Team set out to find them. The missing climbers were believed to have traveled from Sevastopol.