Tragic climbing accident: Pole slips and falls from Mont Blanc
A Polish climber slipped while climbing Mont Blanc. The last few days have brought a tragic outcome – among the victims of difficult conditions in the mountains, in addition to the Pole, there were climbers from Taiwan, Italy and Germany.
Wednesday and Thursday were not happy days for tourists who went climbing in the Alps. As reported by the Italian news agency ANSA, three climbers died on the French side, one on the Italian side. Among the victims was a Pole.
The man was supposed to be moving along a normal French trail. He slipped while walking near the Gouter ridge. Mountain rescuers from the Chamonix gendarmerie reported that the Pole was alone in the mountains. In this area – due to difficult sections and frequent avalanches – accidents occur relatively often.
Paolo Comune, director of the Aosta Valley Alpine Rescue Service, said two other accidents in recent days were caused by heavy snowfall. “After years of little rain and high temperatures, there is a lack of familiarity with the presence of snow at certain heights and if you are not careful, there is a risk of slipping,” the rescuer said.
Polish mountains are also dangerous
Despite the seemingly favorable conditions in the Polish mountains, accidents also occur here. As reported in recent days by the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue, on June 13, one of the tourists fell from a height from the Zmarzła Przełączka Wyżnia through the Honoratka gully. “Due to the conditions (fog, rainfall), it was not possible to reach the site of the accident by helicopter. Rescuers had to go there on foot. After reaching the site, it turned out that the tourist’s body had stopped above the last threshold in the gully, so the evacuation had to be carried out using rope techniques,” we read on TOPR’s social media.
This was not the only accident in the area. During the expedition in Honoratka, in Zawratowy Żleb, another fall from a height occurred. “This time the tourist was quite lucky and with bruises she was brought to Murowaniec and taken to hospital. The tourist’s companion in Zawratowy Żleb also needed help, she had to be brought back,” it was added in a message published on Facebook.
Due to the fact that there are still places with snow on the trails in the higher parts of the Tatras, rescuers appeal for prudence and common sense when traversing mountain trails. “Moving in such conditions requires great skill in moving in such terrain, having winter equipment, and sometimes even belaying. We appeal for prudence and appropriate selection of targets and not to overestimate your skills,” it was emphasized.
