<span style="color: #222222;">Five climbers died after a blizzard on Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest peak, Russia's emergencies ministry said Friday.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Thursday's incident struck when a group of 19 climbers were at an altitude of over 5,000 metres (16,000 feet).</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Elbrus, located in Russia's North Caucasus, is the highest mountain Europe at 5,642 metres (18,510 feet).</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Unfortunately, five people died, the emergencies ministry said. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The remaining 14 were taken down to the Azau valley below and the rescue was carried out in "the most difficult conditions" with strong winds, low visibility and sub-zero temperatures, it said.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The company which organised the climb said there were four professional guides accompanying the climbers. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">During the ascent, one of the climbers felt unwell and turned back with one of the guides. She later died it said.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The rest of the group continued to the summit but an "unprecedented storm" struck on their way down. One of the climbers broke a leg, further slowing down the group. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Two climbers froze to death and two others lost consciousness and died as they were brought down, the company said. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The guides and some of the participants have been hospitalised with frostbite.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">       </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">While the ascent is not considered technically difficult, dozens of climbers die every year during summit attempts.</span><br />''  <br />