On Wednesday, 24 June 2015, at about 9am, on the Goûter Route to the summit of Mont-Blanc two foreign climbers plunged to their death.
The tragedy occurred while the two climbers were crossing the couloir between the refuge Tête Rousse and the refuge Goûter. Attempting to summit Mont-Blanc on the classic Goûter Route, which is popular among alpinists and mountaineers, the men fell an estimated 700m down. A helicopter was dispatched, but there was nothing to be done. The climbers had suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. Their bodies were recovered to Chamonix.
Also yesterday, in the afternoon, couloir du Gouter made another victim. A young climber was ungently transferred to the hospital from Sallanches, presenting serious injuries after a fall. At the moment, the victim is in critical health conditions.
From 1990 to 2011, French mountain police force registers show 291 rescue operations in the Goûter couloir, on the normal route on Mont-Blanc, which resulted in 74 deaths and 180 injuries. 30% of accidents have been caused by stone falls from the Mont-Blanc slopes.
We strongly recommend you to be careful. Remember that the mountain dictates its own rules!
