Russian couple found dead in Mont Blanc climb attempt

Russian couple found dead in Mont Blanc climb attempt

2012-01-10 22:45:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

8PARIS (BNO NEWS) -- A Russian couple that had been reported missing during their attempted ascent of France's Mont Blanc were found dead in their tent on Tuesday, police said.

Tatyana and Mikhail Zakharov had arrived in Geneva on December 23 in order to climb the 4,810-meter (15,782-foot) Mont Blanc, which is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It is also ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence.

However, search-and-rescue operations were launched when the couple failed to return to the Russian capital of Moscow on Friday, as they had planned. A helicopter was deployed and search teams with dogs searched places where the couple could have stayed.

Weather conditions hampered the operations, forcing the helicopter to temporarily turn back until the search continued on Tuesday morning. A French police spokesperson told RIA Novosti that the victims were found on Tuesday morning.

According to police, the couple's tent had been buried under snow due to the bad weather conditions, killing both of them. The victims had been last seen on December 29, shortly before the ascent, while taking a cable car in Les Houches toward Mont Blanc.

It was not immediately clear when the couple was killed. The victims were reported missing late because they did not inform anyone of their planned route and took off without a guide. Reports said the couple left despite warnings of severe weather.

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