Wednesday 4th October 2017, in less than 24 hours, two climbers, a man and a woman lost their lives while descending the Mont Blanc, by the normal route on the Couloir du Goûter.
The accidents took place Tuesday evening on 3rd October and yesterday morning 4th October 2017.
According to Le Dauphine, the two victims who did not evolve together, had several points in common: both of Czech nationality, they were descending the Mont Blanc in groups, they were equipped with mountaineering equipment (crampons, ice axes ...) but they were not roped.
The first accident occurred on Tuesday evening 3rd October 2017, around 9:30pm. A man (30), fall to his death while he was descending the Mont Blanc with a group of six people. He fell about 600 meters at the exit of the Couloir du Goûter, just below the old refuge. The Chamonix PGHM took off around 10pm to recover the body in a clear, windless night.
The second accident occurred yesterday morning 4th October 2017. A woman (27) fell to his death, while she was climbing with a group of four people, at the last third of the Couloir du Goûter.
Two investigations has been opened to determine the circumstances of the accidents.
This summer 2017: 14 accidental deaths on the Mont Blanc normal route.
According to France 3 Regions, in a press release, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, Jean-Marc Peillex, asks the State to "take responsibility" in the face of these "human sacrifices".
"I accuse the State of being the accomplice of these accidents by refusing to set up an effective and dissuasive regulation to avoid these tragedies on the royal route to Mont-Blanc by Saint-Gervais" he writes.
In the detail, the mayor of Saint-Gervais Jean-Marc Peillex requested:
- Those who have neither the level, the equipment nor the experience should be prevented from attempting this ascent;
- Dismantling of the cables from the ascent of the Aiguille du Goûter;
- Implementation of check points;
- Writing regulations for the ascent of Mont Blanc;
- Penalties for non-compliance.
Lastly, he asked that the "abusive aids" are punished "by paying the real cost to the authors," as in Courmayeur, Italy.
Demands that make a great fuss in the professional and amateur alpinistic community.
