Submitted by ChamonixNews on
Saturday 19th August 2017, a Ukrainian climber (42) was found dead, late in the afternoon, at the bottom of a crevasse in the north-west side of the Dôme du Goûter (4,304m) in the Mont Blanc massif.
According to France 3 Regions, the climber was found dead a day after setting off to climb the Mont Blanc massif (4,810m).
While he was in full ascent, the man became trapped in an overnight storm in the Mont Blanc massif.
He lost track of where he was, and then sent out an alert message to the PGHM on Friday night 18th August, at around 10 pm. Due to bad weather conditions, the Chamonix PGHM rescue team was unable to rescue him.
"It was impossible to launch a rescue operation because the mountain was in the middle of major storm" said the Chamonix PGHM.
After the weather improved early on Saturday 19th August, the civil security helicopter found the man’s body at about 4,000m above sea level, in the north-west face of the Dôme du Goûter.
According to the PGHM rescuers, "He certainly had to unscrew the route during the night".
An investigation has been opened by the Chamonix PGHM to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
On Thursday 17th August 2017, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, Jean-Marc Peillex, issued a municipal order with immediate effect stating that "anyone attempting to climb Mont Blanc via the Gouter Route must have a minimum level of equipment and clothing". Any offender will get a first class fine.
Mont Blanc route kit list: hat, sunglasses, ski mask, sun cream, warm and waterproof jacket, mountaineering trousers and base layer, mountaineering-specific boots and crampons, harness and crevasse rescue equipment, rope, ice axe, GPS or altimeter.
