Swiss find remains of 2 Japanese climbers missing since 1970

BERLIN (AP) — Swiss police said Thursday that they have identified the remains of two Japanese climbers who went missing 45 years ago, months after their bones were found on a glacier under the Matterhorn mountain.

A climber found the remains in September at the foot of the Matterhorn glacier, about 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) above sea level, Valais canton (state) police said. They were taken for forensic examination, and experts put together DNA profiles.

Police in the mountainous region keep a list of people who have been reported missing since 1925. They said that the Japanese Consulate in Geneva helped them find relatives in Japan, who provided DNA that enabled them to confirm the men's identity — one in June and the other a month later.

Police didn't release the names of the Japanese climbers, who were reported missing on Aug. 18, 1970. A search at the time produced no results.

Remains of long-missing mountaineers have increasingly surfaced as a result of receding glaciers, police said. In October, officials in Bern canton found the remains of a Czech man missing since 1974.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-08-07

RIP and I hope some closure for their families.

I was idly reading through this and thought, ah, 1970, that's fairly recent.

Gawd, FORTY FIVE years ago.

Doesn't seem like a day.

Now I know how old Granny felt........

Glad at last they were found.. Some closure now for the families even after all this time.. RIP..

Compliments of El nino.