Chamonix Avalanche 12th July 2012 - Update
'Missing' four climbers are 'found', safe
Further to our avalanche report today: https://www.seechamonix.com/events/news/five-dead-in-avalanche-on-mont-blanc-chamonix, which killed nine climbers, four reportedly 'missing' climbers including two British men have now been found, safe.
The four men did not actually make up part of the group who were caught in the incident - they reported themselves to local rescue services, having not set out on the trek up the infamous Mont Maudit.
WIth the depth of the snow in the avalanche zone being estimated at six metres there was serious concern that the rescuers would not be able to find nor recover bodies buried in the snow.
There had been additional concern later in the day for the safety of the rescuers themselves, working in the unstable conditions, particularly after the sun's warming influence on the snowpack.
00:04 CET 13/07/12 Update Roger Payne the former chief executive of the British Mountaineering Council has been named as one of the British climbers killed in the incident. Mr Payne was acting as a guide at the time. He has been described as enthusiastic and inspirtational influence in mountaineering circles, with a track record of Alpine and Himalayan mountaineering since the 1980s.
Families of all three Briton's who died have been notified.
