There have been several deaths this climbing season on the mountain
This Feb. 19, 2003 file photo shows Mont Blanc, western Europe's highest mountain. A mayor in the French Alps says five climbers have died on Mont Blanc and a sixth is missing. The climbers disappeared overnight as they were trying to reach the
Lyon: Five French climbers were found dead on Wednesday on Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, with a sixth member of the group still missing, local authorities said.
The six climbers, including one guide, had been reported missing since on Tuesday evening after they failed to return to their shelter when bad weather hit the mountain. The group had set out to climb the "Aiguille d'Argentiere" peak on the Mont Blanc massif, which stands at 3,902 metres.
There have been several deaths this climbing season on the mountain, sparking fears among professional guides that Mont Blanc is fast becoming a tourist "free-for-all". Two Belgians were found dead on August 2 and six climbers died between July 15 and 30 -- two Irish, two Finns, a German and a French person.
A US climber sparked outrage earlier this month when he tried to climb the mountain with his nine-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter and got caught in an avalanche. The family escaped uninjured, but video footage of the incident in a spot known as the "Corridor of Death" caused an outcry when it was broadcast in the United States last month.
( Source : PTI )
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