**UPDATED** Busy day for the rescue services in Chamonix
Yesterday, Wednesday the 30th July, saw a pretty much non-stop day for the PGHM mountain rescue services in the Chamonix Valley. The recent good weather during the height of the summer season has clearly brought many people to the mountains and it seems accidents do happen.
At the break of dawn, a rescue team set off on foot to try and find a German alpinist who had lost sight of his fellow alpinists on the Tuesday, just under the summit of Mont Blanc. Luckily, he managed to find his own way to the Refuge du Gouter.
Not even time for a cup of tea at PGHM HQ, before the services are called out again at 10:30 to a climber on the south face of the Aiguille du Midi who fell and injured their back. Soon after, rescuers were called to the Blatieres alpages to a man in his 60's who had suffered a heart attack. Despite trying to revive him, the man who was hiking with his wife and a couple of friends, died. Sadly, he had only just retired a few weeks ago after being the chief taxman in St Gervais.
With all the recent hot weather hydration became a problem for a 63 year old man under the Charamillion bubble lift in Le Tour who was assisted by rescue services after falling ill. Similarly, a 16 year old fell ill whilst doing the via ferrata routes in Passy and was also assisted by PGHM.
Storms often go hand in hand with hot weather and a freak, very short, thunderstorm in the Mont Blanc range at 13:15 caught four alpinists out. According to the local paper, there were just three thunderclaps, but lightning actually struck four alpinists coming down from the summit of Mont Blanc on the normal route. A guide from Courchevel with his British client and two Slovakian climbers were struck, one of whom was seriously injured and helicoptered off to Sallanches whilst the others were treated in Chamonix hospital. No further details or names have been released.
Weather in the mountains can be notoriously unpredictable so it always pays to head out prepared for anything. If you'd like to find out more about Weather in the Alps, why not read our featured article on the subject.
Sources: Dauphine Libere and Radio Mont Blanc
**UPDATE** One of the alpinists involved in last weeks lightning strike on Mont Blanc has been in touch with us with more details of what happened during the storm. It seems that there were actually 5 people affected, all of whom were due to stay in the Gouter Hut that night whilst on their way up Mont Blanc. Shortly after lunch, a little hail started falling and then there was suddenly one huge bang as the lightning struck, hitting all 5 of them.
As we reported earlier, the Slovakian man was seriously injured but his girlfriend came away pretty much unscathed. The group comprising of two British climbers and their guide were just behind the Slovakian couple and fared slightly better, but the guide still received burns on his back whilst the two Brits managed to escape with just minor marks.
The injured climbers were airlifted off the mountain to the local hospital but one of the British climbers, Matt Stevens, was actually able to join up with another passing guide and continue his quest for the summit, making it to 4300m before bad weather forced them back. Whilst his climbing partner wasn't badly injured, unfortunately his pack had tumbled down the mountainside taking his equipment with it, after they removed them just after the strike on their guide's instruction. Latest reports indicate that both the guide and the Slovakian climber are still recovering in hospital.
