A 21-year-old mountaineer lost his life on Wednesday, June 7 on the steep slopes of the Aiguille Verte, in the Mont-Blanc massif. Accompanied by a friend, the young man had just climbed the summit by the Couturier corridor, according to Le Dauphiné Libéré, before descending on skis down the very steep Cordier corridor, located in the north face of the mountain.
According to the regional daily, the mountaineer lost control of his skis, then fell irretrievably on the vertiginous slope for nearly 600 meters. The High Mountain Gendarmerie Peloton (PGHM) of Chamonix intervened by helicopter to rescue the skier who was unfortunately declared dead on the spot. His body was evacuated to the Chamonix valley.
The young man was a mountain enthusiast and high-level sportsman in judo. His rope companion in shock was also able to be taken care of by the rescuers. An investigation has been launched to clarify the circumstances of this accident.
The steep slopes of the Aiguille Verte have recently experienced similar tragedies. On June 1, a 60-year-old guide and his 28-year-old client fell on the descent probably following the poor anchoring of an abseiling in the Whymper corridor. In early May, another skier also died, falling on skis during the descent this time from the corridor couturier.