On Wednesday 9th August 2017, two German brothers were found dead by the Chamonix PGHM rescue team at Mont Blanc du Tacul (4,248m).
According to Le Dauphine, the two bodies were discovered on Wednesday morning, 9th August 2017, at the summit, under a rocky spur, partially covered with snow.
The two brothers took the Skyway Monte-Bianco cable car from Courmayeur (Italy) and joined the Torino Hut (3,322m) on Sunday evening, where they spent the night. Then, Monday morning, they started climbing the Mont Blanc du Tacul by the Aiguilles du Diable Deux.
The alert was given on Tuesday 8th August 2017, at about 6:30pm, by the wife of one of them.
According to the preliminary investigations, the two men aged 40 and 42 resided in Lahr and Kippenheim, near the French border.
Aerial research impeded by wind and clouds
According to Le Dauphine, at around 8pm, the PGHM undertook an aerial reconnaissance on board the civil security helicopter.
The aerial research has been partially impeded by large masses of moving air and clouds.
However, the rescue team was able to carry out an aerial research on the slope of the northern face of the Tacul, through which the two men should have come down with crampons. Also, the ridge of Aiguilles du Diable, but "far enough away" said Stéphane Bozon, commander of PGHM in Chamonix. On the other hand, the summit was inaccessible.
The researches resumed on Wednesday morning at 7pm. On board the the civil security helicopter, "the rescue team was able to observe a form of color in the snow," said Stéphane Bozon.
Due to bad weather conditions, the rescuers were left at col Maudit to continue to reach the summit by foot. After two days and two nights, the two bodies were lying under a rocky spur located at the top of Tacul, partially covered by snow.
The two mountaineers probably exhausted succumbed to undercooling during the climb of the Mont Blanc du Tacul.
Probably a delay in this case
According to the investigation led by the Chamonix PGHM, the brothers have been probably in delay.
The commander of PGHM in Chamonix, Stéphane Bozon, said "A witness saw them at the second Dent des Aiguilles, at 2pm, this indicates a delay». Delay that explains by a possible lack of practice, complicated by many rope maneuvers in this type of sector.
