Four hikers who went missing on Mont Blanc in France last Saturday, September 7, 2024 were found dead on Tuesday, September 10, French authorities reported. The group, consisting of two Italian and two South Korean climbers, succumbed to harsh weather conditions near the summit of Western Europe’s highest mountain.
The Chamonix-Mont Blanc search and rescue team located the bodies of the four climbers at an altitude of approximately 15,400 feet on the French side of Mont Blanc. Officials stated that the hikers likely died of hypothermia or exhaustion after being stranded in severe weather for several days.
The Italian climbers were identified as Sara Stefanelli, 41, and Andrea Galimberti, 53. They were discovered in the Mur de la Cote area, a steep frozen slope leading to the summit. The bodies of the two South Korean hikers, described as a man and a woman in their 40s and 50s, were found slightly below the Italians at an elevation of about 14,764 feet.
Two other Korean hikers were retrieved alive on Sunday morning at 13,400 feet after a demanding rescue operation.
Rescue efforts had been hampered since Saturday due to poor visibility and treacherous conditions. Several helicopter attempts were made, including one on Tuesday morning, but each had to turn back. The Italian Search and Rescue Team from Valle d’Aosta reached the peak on foot Tuesday morning but failed to locate the missing hikers.
It wasn’t until early Tuesday afternoon that a helicopter from the French Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM) de Chamonix Mont-Blanc was able to fly when visibility improved, ultimately discovering the four climbers.
The weather on Mont Blanc had been particularly hazardous in recent days, with temperatures dropping to 5°F, winds reaching up to 93 mph, and nearly 20 inches of fresh snow. These conditions not only posed immediate dangers to the hikers but also buried their tracks, further complicating search and rescue efforts.
Galimberti was known to be an experienced climber, while Stefanelli had recently completed a mountaineering course. The pair had successfully summited the Matterhorn just six days before their ill-fated Mont Blanc expedition.
In a separate incident on the same day the bodies were discovered, a 61-year-old Danish hiker fell to his death in the Mont Blanc massif. The man was walking through a steep area near Saint-Gervais-les-Bains when he slipped and fell about 98 feet, according to the PGHM mountain police service in Chamonix.
Mont Blanc, standing at 15,774 feet, is a popular destination for climbers but is also known for its dangers. An estimated 6,000 to 8,000 alpinist fatalities have occurred on the mountain, primarily due to altitude sickness, rockfall, and avalanches. The recent tragedy highlights the risks associated with high-altitude mountaineering, even for experienced climbers.
Local authorities have opened an investigation into the incident. The mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, where the Italian climbers began their ascent, noted that while hiring a guide is recommended for climbing Mont Blanc, it is not mandatory. He emphasized the need to improve the quality of information provided to climbers to help prevent future tragedies.