if climbing is so safe, what's with the news stories about deaths?

a few days ago i blogged about a recent german report that concludes that climbing is a relatively safe injury-free sport.

so what's with all the news stories about people finding death on the rocks? maybe it's the hidden fear we all have about falling to our death that makes for a good news story? it definitely adds to the intrigue and mystique of climbing. "geez, if even the experienced climbers fall..."

here's an associated press / san jose mercury news story from today:

rock climbing legend falls to his death in yosemite -san francisco- "a renowned rock climber and author who scaled peaks around the world fell 500 feet to his death in yosemite national park, a spokeswoman said tuesday. todd skinner was rappelling monday after he and a partner worked on pioneering a new route near bridalveil fall, said adrienne freeman, a park spokeswoman. it was not immediately clear why skinner, who claimed on his web site to have set climbing records in 26 countries, fell."