Rescuers scour mountain after 21 ultra-marathon runners die in extreme weather

Search and rescue teams are seen scouring a mountain in northwest China where 21 people died after extreme weather hit a cross-country ultra-marathon.

Military planes and more than 700 people were involved in the 24-hour rescue operation, which ended on Sunday after the bodies of all 21 missing runners were found. The search was complicated by the complex high-altitude terrain in Gansu Province’s Baiyin City.

A sudden drop in temperature caused hail, freezing rain and gale to pummel the area of the race, which was brought to an emergency stop on Saturday after several participants went missing.