Mountaineer dies on Mont Blanc during severe storm

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A man in his forties died while climbing Mont Blanc early Friday morning despite a rescue effort.

The man, who had been climbing western Europe’s tallest mountain alone, got suck at around 4,800 metres after losing his way due to the poor weather conditions.

Rescuers who received his call for help on Thursday set out to rescue the man but, despite being able to find him, poor weather conditions prevented the helicopters to get close enough, André-Vianney Espinasse, commander of the safety and rescue service PGHM Chamonix Mont-Blanc, told the news agency AFP.

In an attempt to reach the mountaineer, one helicopter dropped a platoon of rescuers off at 3,200 metres. They proceeded to attempt to climb up to the man despite the poor weather. They found him two hours later.

Unfortunately, at around 5.30am, the climber suffered cardiac arrest and died, Mr Espinasse said.

After another helicopter tried and failed to retrieve the body due to high winds, the rescuers made the decision to leave the body and get out of “this extremely dangerous area”.

The man’s body was eventually retrieved by an Italian helicopter.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising 4,808.7 metres above sea level.

It is the eleventh most prominent mountain summit in the world.

Mr Espinasse warned against climbing solo.

“Going solo on high mountains should really be avoided due to all the dangers involved,” he said.