Reckless Individuals Costing Mountain Rescues Too Much

Saturday at around 6pm, the Chamonix mountain rescue team (PGHM) receive a call from the Valley Blanche. A group of three are lost and in need of help, one of them is in need of medical assistance and cannot continue. Locals from Chamonix, the group had set off in poor weather at 2pm.

Given the appalling weather, a search from land had to be performed.
So the Aiguille du Midi lift re-opened its doors for second time in the day. Then after 5 hours of walking, the rescue team found the group, somewhere under the Pyramid du Tacul. The person in need of medical assitance was placed into a stretcher whilst the two others, a man and a young boy of 14 years, followed the rescue team to find shelter at the Refuge du Requin.

Considering the patient's condition, and despite the bad weather, a helicopter was issued.

At approximately 1am the helicopter made a heroic landing in the dark and in the rain to pick up the group and the doctor to bring them back to safety. The rescue team weren't quite as lucky and had to camp out in the refuge and ski down the following morning.

Jean-Louis Verdier, the Deputy of Chamonix rescue, was livid: "Will these people realise what they have done? We fight to keep the rescue service free, but with such individuals, how can we justify that? And what pleasure did they think they would get going out in such terrible weather and on top of that, to go with a child...?! "

Source: Le Dauphine