Tragedy on Mont Blanc: Four Climbers Found Dead

Tragedy Strikes on Mont Blanc: Four Climbers Found Dead

In a heartbreaking incident, four climbers were discovered dead on Tuesday on Mont Blanc, the towering jewel of the Alps. The climbers, hailing from Italy and South Korea, had been reported missing since Saturday, prompting a search operation by local authorities.

Boris Duffau, the public prosecutor in Bonneville, France, shared in an email that the bodies of two South Korean climbers, aged 45 and 53, were located after rescue teams were able to reach the mountain by helicopter on Tuesday afternoon. The Italian climbers, aged 40 and 53, were found approximately an hour later, he confirmed.

The Chamonix P.G.H.M., the security and rescue service tasked with responding to emergencies on Mont Blanc, received an alert around 5 p.m. on Saturday regarding climbers in distress on the challenging Three Mounts route. However, inclement weather initially prevented a rescue helicopter from landing in the area, Duffau explained.

On the following day, two rescuers aboard a helicopter managed to save two stranded South Korean climbers. Unfortunately, search-and-rescue efforts were hindered by deteriorating weather conditions, which also thwarted rescue attempts on Monday.

The Haute-Savoie prefecture reported that the climbers had succumbed to exhaustion, noting that they had embarked on the climb without the assistance of guides, as highlighted by Agence France-Presse.

Italian media outlets, including La Repubblica, identified the deceased Italian climbers as Andrea Galimberti and Sara Stefanelli. Mr. Galimberti was recognized as an experienced mountaineer, having scaled numerous peaks in the Alps, while Ms. Stefanelli had recently completed a mountaineering course, as reported by Corriere della Sera.

The two South Korean climbers were part of a mountaineering club and were found about 100 meters from the summit of Mont Blanc, according to reports from Yonhap News Agency in Seoul.

Mont Blanc, like many renowned mountains, has faced challenges in recent years due to overcrowding and the impacts of climate change, resulting in increasingly unpredictable and potentially hazardous conditions for climbers. In 2023 alone, at least five other climbers have lost their lives on Mont Blanc, primarily due to falls.

Climate change, driven by human activity, has significantly altered the landscape of the Alps, creating new hazards for adventurers. Warmer temperatures have led to rapid snowmelt in various regions, contributing to a decline in snowpack. Additionally, the melting of permafrost—the frozen ground that stabilizes mountainous terrain—has resulted in instability and increased risks of rockfalls.

Following the announcement of the four deaths, Eric Fournier, the mayor of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, addressed the situation on France Info, a public radio station, asserting that climate change “absolutely” plays a critical role in the conditions that can lead to tragic accidents on Mont Blanc.