4 Italian Climbers Die In Deadly Mt. Blanc Climbing Accident

Four Italian climbers have died after a tragic fall on Mt. Blanc.  All four climbers were said to be between 35 and 40 years-old and very experienced.  Their names have not been released to the public.  Stewart’s Climbing Blog on About.com is reporting that the four climbers fell 3,280 feet down the Aiguille du Midi.  Authorities located their bodies at the base and transported them to Chamonix for identification.

The latest accident on Mt. Blanc du Tacal follows the highly publicized death of British adventurer Rob Gauntlett and his partner, James Atkinson, the previous week.  At that time, it was being reported that six deaths had ocurred on Mt. Blanc in 2009.  The four Italian climbers will bring that total up to 10.  With 2009 just barely underway, it is hard to imagine that 10 people have died in at least four different  accidents on Mt. Blanc.  The death rate is so unusual that Stewart Greene ponders the question ‘Is Mt. Blanc The Most Dangerous Mountain In The World?“  Going on 2009 statistics, it could very well be.  The publicity of these deaths will probably make people think twice about heading there this time of year for their climbing adventures.  Let’s hope that this settles down a bit and gives the search and rescuers time to take a rest.

When more information is made public, I will make an update to this post.  If these guys were as experienced as the Press is putting on, we may just know who they are.  Let’s keep all four of these climber’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers.

Breaking (Updated): Search Called Off For 10 Missing In Mont Blanc Avalanche

10 people are missing and 8 others are hospitalized after an early morning avalanche on Mont Blanc du Tacal, one of the routes climbers use to get to the top of the famed Mont Blanc peak.

From CNN:

The missing include five Austrians and three Swiss, and the nationalities of the other two were not immediately known, said the Haute-Savoie regional government office in a statement.

The avalanche was set off around 3 a.m. (0100 GMT) by the fall of a massive block of ice on the Mont Blanc du Tacul, one of the peaks in the Mont Blanc range, at an altitude of some 3,600 meters (11,800 feet), it said.

Authorities deployed a vast search mission, involving three helicopters, dozens of rescue workers, doctors, Alpine guides and sniffer dogs, said the statement. Local officials reached by phone declined to comment further.

French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie hurried to the area to meet with rescuers and some of the eight people injured and taken to a regional hospital, her office said.

Much like the recent tragedy on K2, a massive block of ice set off the avalanche at 11,800 Ft.

Let’s keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers as rescue workers continue to try to reach the victims.  I will update more once I receive more information.  Subscribe below to catch the latest updates.

Update: What??  Search Called Off For Missing Climbers On Mont Blanc!

After viewing the area by helicopter, French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said there was “no chance of finding anyone alive”

This seems a bit premature…

Mont Dolent Tragedy Update July 26, 2008: Family Identified and More Information

The family members involved in the horrific climbing accident on Mont Dolent have been identified. All four family members were from Almere, in Northern Holland and include the father, Pieter Hendrik Germs (55), his son, Mark Pieter Germs (20), and two daughters-Else Germs (23) and Karin Germs (16). The mother, Ada de Jong (50), survived the incident after she had stopped to rest and the others climbed on.

From the Mail Online’s world news:

Mrs De Jong said: ‘I saw my husband fall, then all of my three children, one by one they all fell. I was watching 200metres away (600feet).’

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Four Dutch Family Members Killed On Mont Dolent, Part of Mont Blanc Massif, Fifth Family Member Witnesses Fall

Click Here For The Latest Mont Dolent Update

Mont Dolent

Tragedy has struck a family of Dutch climbers today, as four family members have fallen to their deaths and another, after witnessing the fall of her climbing partners, is hospitalized with severe shock.

The group of five climbers were attempting to climb Mont Dolent in the Mont Blanc massif. Mont Blanc is Europe’s highest peak.

Italian news agency ANSA is reporting that the deaths involved a Dutch father and his three kids, his wife was the only survivor, but did witness the terrible accident.

The Press Association is currently reporting the accident suggesting that the nationalities of those involved were not currently known. AGI News is reporting that this was a single family of Dutch origin.

Operations are currently underway to recover the bodies of the fallen climbers.

At this point in time it is not real clear what exactly happened. Here is a small piece from IOL News:

The climbers were linked together with ropes and when the group leader stumbled he dragged the others down with him,” Aosta rescue official, Viglione Delfino, told television news channel SKY TG24.

The mother had turned back and was on her descent when the accident took place. She was not injured from a fall, but is currently hospitalized after witnessing her family’s tragic accident.

AFP, reporting through Canada.com is reporting that the mother put out the distress signal after witnessing the fall. Italian rescue crews are currently in the area and in the midst of recovering the bodies.

This is definitely a very sad situation to befall a single family. Let’s keep this woman in our thoughts and prayers today.

Mount Blanc is Europe’s highest peak and is a popular climbing destination. Accidents do happen quite frequently on the 4,810 meter peak with many of these attributed to amateurs out for a joy climb. Mont Blanc straddles the France-Italy-Switzerland border.

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The World’s Highest Jaccuzzi Grabbing International Attention

I recently ran an article about a group of individuals who had climbed Mont Blanc and perhaps had built the world’s highest jaccuzzi–

This story is getting some international play.  Not only has RussianClimb picked it up, but now ExplorersWeb, as well.

The whole story behind this crazy adventure is beginning to take a bit more shape.

The team that placed the jacuzzi on top of Mont Blanc have updated their site with how all of this came about:

After over six years of evolution, the concept of “jaccuzzi events” has led to the realization of a dream,” writes the Jacuzzi mountaineering website. “After increasing the size to host more than 70 people for a concerto on the shore of Lake Geneva, after winter jaccuzzi events that became progressively crazier, after successes at higher and higher altitudes, we wondered if a jaccuzzi on top of the Alps would one day be possible.

As we can see, through this image from Jaccuzzi.com, they have realized their dream and given us some very interesting photos in the process.

I personally ran across this story on October 19th through the TeamGearedUp Blog–you might want to swing by their neck-of-the-woods for a bit more as well.

Now Here’s An Interesting Photo….

After a nice hard climb at -20 degrees, there is nothing more relaxing then stripping the clothes off, grabbing a brew, and jumping into the world’s highest elevation hottub.

For those of you thinking the same thing, don’t get your hopes up to far.  This isn’t a permanent fixture on Mont Blanc–but interesting none the less.

For more on the story behind these ackward yet amazing photos, stop by and check out TeamGearedUp’s Blog.  If you want to see the rest of the photos from this unusual adventure, just type in the link found on the jacuzzi–

By the way, I have added the TeamGearedUp blog to my “adventure links” area.  They cover a wide range of a outdoor activities with an emphasis on Europe.  Very nice indeed.

Tragedy on Mont Blanc: Four Climbers Die, Five Others Rescued

Tragedy has struck Mont Blanc in the French Alps.  Four climbers have died after getting lost on the 15, 771 foot mountain.  The climbers had died due to cold weather and exhaustion.

The climbers included one Brit, and women from New Zealand, France, and Chili.  Their bodies were found around the 13, 120 foot mark of Mont Blanc.

The group had no tent and failed to dig a hole to protect themselves from 120 km/h winds and falling snow,” said Olivier Kim of the regional police force.

Just a day prior, 5 climbers were rescued near the summit after similarly succumbing to the high winds and cold.

None of the climbers involved in these incidents have been mentioned by name as yet. 

Mont Blonc is the highest peak in the Alps.  It has been mentioned that when Mont Blanc was first summited in 1786 by Jacquez Balmot and Dr. Michel Paccard–that the beginning of modern mountaineering had begun.  Mont Blanc is annually summited today by well over 20,000 people a year and is seemingly refered to as an “easy” mountain.