This is the moment a mountain climber falls into a deep ice crack near the peak of Europe’s highest mountain and is helped by rescuers.

The incident took place on Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Russia and Europe at 5,642 metres (18,510 feet), at an altitude of 4,900 metres (16,076 feet) on 7th June.

The victim, name not disclosed, fell into a crack and was trapped between two walls of ice.

The footage shows the climber several metres below the surface, apparently positioned between the ice walls.

At one point he says: “Today is my second birthday!”

The local authorities said: “During a descent from Elbrus, two climbers lost their way, and one of them fell into a crack at an altitude of 4,900 metres (16,076 feet).”

The rescue team that saved the middle-aged man took him to Azau Glade for medical checks, according to the Elbrus search and rescue team of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation.

They added that the climber only suffered a few bruises during the fall.

Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano located in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.

It is the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains, the highest and most prominent peak in Russia and Europe, the highest stratovolcano in Eurasia, and the tenth-most prominent peak in the world.