Italian ski tourer falls to his death

Late morning yesterday, Sunday, an Italian man was ski touring with a friend on the glacier Rond to the north west of the Aiguille du Midi. As the pair descended into what's known as the Cunningham couloir, one of the men fell around 150m to his death.

Rescuers say that although conditions were good in the Chamonix valley at the time of the accident, the snow was very hard packed and in this section, where the route forks off towards the glaciers des Bossons, the slope is a treacherous 45 degree angle.

The local newspaper the Dauphine Libere is reporting that the victim was a 36 year man from Milan, whereas the local radio station claims the deceased was a 46 year old Italian.

Source : Radio Mont Blanc and Dauphine Libere