Tragedy has struck Mount Blanc. The BBC is reporting that four climbers have died on the mountain due to exposure. Authorities say that they lost their way near the snow capped peak, and were ill equipped to handle the cold weather.
One climber has been identified as 30 year old Mark Emerson of the U.K. , who was accompanied by three female climbers from New Zealand, France and Chile. The four were found at 13,572 feet where they were stranded due to high winds and heavy snows. One report estimates the winds were as high as 74 mph. Caught at altitude, without proper gear, and exhausted from their climb, the four climbers couldn’t escape the inclement weather, as they carried no tent. The weather also prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching them as well.
The Adventurist is also reporting that five other climbers had to be rescued from the mountain after being caught out in the weather near the summit, in a similar fashion.
The freaky weather in Europe has certainly been strange of late. In the U.K., continued rain has caused flooding in many area. Meanwhile, on the continent itself, there are areas suffering through sweltering heat, while in the Alps, severe cold and snow is taking lives of climbers July. Strange days indeed.
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