4 climbers presumed missing in yesterday's avalanche found alive

Two English and two Spanish climbers thought missing in yesterday's avalanche on Mont Maudit have been found alive. Two of the climbers had cancelled their reservations in the Refuge des Cosmiques, and were not on the mountain yesterday. The other two had already turned around on Mont Blanc du Tacul. The accident occurred yesterday at 05:25hr when an avalanche swept the entire North face of Mont Maudit, carrying over 28 people with it. It appears that a wind slab over 40 cm thick broke away, resulting in snow debris 6m thick over an area of 100m x 100m. The final toll of the avalanche is 9 dead (including 1 British climbing Guide) and 12 wounded. All the victims of this tragedy were foreign nationals.