Eight Dead on Mt Blanc

August 26th, 2008 Wade

Sad news from the world of mountaineering. The Adventure Blog is reporting that 8 climbers (Austrian and Swiss) have perished in an avalanche. Mt Blanc is the tallest mountain in the alps at 15,781 feet.

“There is no longer any chance of finding anyone alive,” said Michele Alliot-Marie, France’s interior minister, who traveled to the mountains near the Italian border. The search was called off after the risk of a 2nd avalanche became too much for the search teams. It is said that people who are buried in an avalanche have an 80% rate of survival up to 20 minutes. But when the ticking clock reaches 2 hours that rate of survival drops to 10%.

Entry Filed under: General, Mountaineering, Outdoor News