French emergency services located late Monday afternoon the lifeless bodies of two Spanish mountaineers who had been missing since last Saturday in the Carlit peak region, on the eastern French side of the Pyrenees.
French authorities mobilized resources to locate the two mountaineers and on Monday some 15 rescuers were mobilized, including six agents of the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoons, according to local French media.
Difficult conditions made the work difficult due to poor visibility, wind gusts of more than 100 kilometers per hour and low temperatures of up to minus 25 degrees Celsius. The prepared rescue helicopter could also not be used due to the weather conditions.
The mountaineers had set off on Saturday with the intention of climbing Carlit peak, a mountain 2,900 meters high from sea level, and intended to spend the night in a mountain hut, which they apparently never managed to locate. As a result, they had to spend the night in the open despite the strong wind and snow.
The two mountaineers contacted the Bolquère mountain rescue services early Sunday morning after spending the night in the snow. They informed them of their altitude, 2,700 meters, but were unable to indicate their exact geographical position.
The news portal actu.fr reported that on Monday a helicopter was able to fly over the area and spotted the two climbers when they were near the Tossal Colomer peak, at 2,700 meters above sea level.
The authorities have opened an investigation, although everything suggests that both died of hypothermia.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
