Mont Blanc avalanche, little hope for 8 climbers

Rescue services in Chamonix have said there is little hope of finding eight missing climbers, buried by an avalanche on Mont Blanc early today, alive. Two missing Italians checked in with the authorities when they returned to the valley.

The avalanche struck at 3 am at 3600 meters on the normal route to Mont Blanc under the Mont Blanc du Tacul. The conditions were described as “excellent “ although this part of the route is known for its avalanche risk. The slide is thought to have been triggered by a serac fall and measured 200 by 50 meters. The roped climbing groups would have had little chance of escape in the dark. 40 rescue workers with avalanche dogs attended the scene, it is unusual for climbers to wear avalanche beacons. The search operation was complicated by the high risk of secondary avalanches. The missing climbers include five men from Austria, one a guide from the Tyrol and three Swiss. It is the largest loss of life in a French avalanche since an avalanche hit the village of Montroc above Chamonix in 1999.