The mountaineer stuck on the Bionnassay glacier in Valle d’Aosta was recovered in serious condition. He was at an altitude of 3,100 meters and was unable to continue due to fatigue and possible hypothermia. Yesterday he had asked for help saying he was very cold and could not go on, struggling to indicate the exact position. According to the rescuers, the climber, who speaks English and did not have his documents with him, was equipped as a hiker and did not have equipment and clothing suitable for progression on the glacier.
The alarm went off yesterday afternoon at 17 but only this morning they managed to recover it. So for another hiker who was stopped at Col de La Seigne and was recovered last night thanks to a ground team. In the case of the Boinnassay glacier, however, the recovery operations were complicated by the danger of the area from the Italian side and by the weather conditions. The mountain rescue technicians were able to understand the exact point where the man was and waited for an improvement in the weather, so that the strong wind at high altitude and poor visibility stopped, to start the helicopter. He managed to take off this morning.
The last contact with the man took place last night at 2.30. In the meantime, a team had left at dawn from Courmayeur by land with two mountain rescue technicians. A first attempt was made in the night but with negative results.