21 Runners Die Saturday in Treacherous, Chinese Marathon Mountain Race

Chinese media have reported that 21 participants in a cross-country, marathon race in the mountains of the northwestern province of Gansu died Saturday as hail, freezing rain and strong winds pelted them at high altitudes.

More than 700 rescue personnel searched the Baiyin area well into Saturday night and they recovered the bodies of 21 race participants, according to the Associated Press.

"We express deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and the injured," the Baiyin mayor said.

For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.

Some went missing in the extreme weather around 1 p.m. Saturday, when the 100-kilometer (60-mile) race in the Yellow River Stone Forest tourist site in Baiyin city in Gansu province was halted.

Early Sunday, rescuers found 21 dead, including the last of the five missing following an all-night search that involved more than 700 personnel. The operation was made difficult by low temperatures and the complex terrain and topography.

The runners were racing on an extremely narrow mountain path at high altitude, a reporter for state broadcaster CCTV said.

A total of 172 people had joined the race and 151 are confirmed to be safe. Some were treated for minor injuries and were stable, Xinhua said.

Baiyin Mayor Zhang Xuchen held a news conference later Sunday and profoundly apologized as the organizer of the event.

This is a developing story. More details will publish as they emerge.