The climbers were very unlucky to be caught in such a catastrophic avalanche, he told CNN.
They were hoping to find evidence the climbers had reached the summit - but they saw nothing.
The climbers, on their registration forms, indicated their experience included climbing peaks in Africa and Asia, but not McKinley, McLaughlin said.
Some of the climbers managed to get themselves back to their base at the Refuge des Cosmiques and raised the alarm.
Two of the climbers were off-duty members of the RAF Mountaineering Association.
The climbers who died were struck by huge rocks, guide Kenneth Jesalva told ABS-CBN TV network by cellphone from a camp near the crater.
The climbers spent six weeks at base camp, elevation 17, 500 feet.
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The climbers at Base Camp are usually well acclimatised and know how to avoid altitude sickness, which is caused by moving to high altitude too quickly.
The route the climbers were taking up Mont Maudit is very popular with alpinists tackling the mighty Mont Blanc, said Alexis Hennebelle of Radio Mont Blanc.
And a spokesman of the Wilderness Express, which handled the climbing expedition, said that arrangements have been made to ensure the safe return of all the climbers.
The course, which includes six summit finishes in eight mountain stages, is expected to favour the climbers and could be decided on the penultimate stage, atop the 2, 250-metre Bola del Mundo.
By studying the climbers, six of whom reached the summit, the researchers hope to gain insight into heart failure, lung disease and sleep apnea all conditions related to a low-oxygen, or hypoxic, state.
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The climbers were on a steep slope where there was snow, which meant an avalanche was possible, but there was no reason to suspect it would happen then, he told CNN affiliate BFM TV.
Ever since I started climbing in Yosemite seven years ago, I knew someday I would try to get up El Cap, which for more than half a century has been the proving ground for the best climbers on the planet.
Once, not all that long ago, Patagonia was the end of the world, a place where the best climbers on the planet came to test themselves against steep, technical peaks that are routinely thrashed by storms and wind of epic proportions.
It is understood the three climbers involved were buried in the snow when rescuers found them.
The three climbers were found buried in the snow and were all airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
It has been a long held view of the council that climbers accept the pursuit is potentially dangerous.
The three climbers were airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary but died of their injuries.
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Then we had to wait while the two climbers rapped over us, knocking more ice down on my head.
On those, you knew what to expect and knew whether you'd have the ability to keep in touch with the best climbers or not.
It is understood none of the other climbers suffered serious injuries.
Within the top 100 names, Kayden (up 1, 041 to number 94), Ollie (up 409 to number 73), Ashton (up 346 to number 87) and Dexter (up 338 to number 78) were the highest climbers between 2001 and 2011.
Within the top 100 names, Lexi (up 1, 475 to number 45), Lexie (up 1, 285 to number 74), Amelie (up 711 to number 54), Bella (up 641 to 69), Elsie (up 540 to number 87), Sienna (up 413 to number 36) and Lacey (up 359 to number 40) were the highest climbers between 2001 and 2011.
While journalists ascended Snowdon by mountain railway, Lord Coe and the team of climbers trekked their way to the top.
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The hikers and climbers that make it to the most remote Cairngorm forest and plateau can expect to see even rarer species.
They did not require help, but the three other climbers were not so fortunate when the second avalanche occurred around 40 minutes later.
After complaints from yak herders, the Bhutanese banned foreign climbers from crawling up the face of their sacred mountains.
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