4 missing climbers found dead in France near Mont Blanc’s summit, authorities say

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• French rescue officials found the bodies of two Italian and two South Korean climbers near the peak of Mont Blanc after they went missing over the weekend during bad weather.
• The Chamonix-Mont Blanc rescue team discovered the climbers at an altitude of more than 15,400 feet on the Alps’ highest peak.
• The climbers had alerted rescuers on Saturday afternoon, but worsening weather conditions prevented rescue teams from reaching them.

French rescue officials said Tuesday they found the bodies of two Italian and two South Korean climbers close to the peak of Mont Blanc on the French side after they went missing over the weekend in bad weather.

The Chamonix-Mont Blanc search and rescue team found the two pairs of climbers at an altitude of more than 15,400 feet on the Alps’ highest peak. 

They died of hypothermia, rescue officials said.

CLIMBER FOUND DEAD ON ALASKA’S DENALI, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN NORTH AMERICA

The unaccompanied climbers had alerted rescuers on Saturday afternoon, but weather conditions continued to deteriorate, preventing rescuers from reaching their location from the ground or by helicopter.

French rescue officials said Tuesday they found the bodies of two Italian and two South Korean climbers close to the peak of Mont Blanc on the French side after they went missing over the weekend in bad weather. This file photo shows Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest mountain. (AP Photo/Patrick Gardin, File)

Two other Korean climbers were successfully rescued on Sunday morning at an altitude of more than 13,400 feet after rescuers deployed a highly complex operation.

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French authorities have opened an investigation.