Bodies of two Koreans found near Mont Blanc summit after three-day search

The bodies of two Koreans, apparently stranded while climbing Mont Blanc in the French Alps, were found on Tuesday.

Mont Blanc in the French Alps [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The bodies of two Koreans, apparently stranded while climbing Mont Blanc in the French Alps, were found on Tuesday.

According to the Korean Embassy in France, French rescue authorities discovered the bodies 100 meters (328 feet) from the summit of the mountain at around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

The French rescue authorities believe the two Koreans — a man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s — were caught in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.

The bodies were found three days after the Korean Embassy in France received a report on Saturday that two members of a seven-member Korean mountaineering group were stranded on Mont Blanc.

Only four of the seven members climbed the mountain that day. The three remaining members contacted the local consular cooperation office when the four could not be reached, believing the climbers were in distress.

A helicopter managed to rescue two of the four climbers on Sunday but suspended the search due to dangerous weather conditions. The rescue attempt resumed once conditions cleared, leading to the discovery of the bodies.

The Korean Embassy informed the families of the deceased on Tuesday and said it plans to assist with further necessary procedures. Local media reported that two Italian climbers, who had gone missing alongside the Koreans, were also found dead nearby.

Mont Blanc, located in the French commune of Chamonix, is the highest peak in the Alps, standing at 4,807 meters. Two Koreans were stranded on the mountain in August 2017 as well. At the time, a regional rescue squad found the body of a 34-year-old surnamed Lee in the alpine zone near Chamonix, some 4,300 meters above sea level. Lee was climbing the mountain with a 44-year-old acquaintance, also surnamed Lee. The two climbers also became stranded due to bad weather. The 44-year-old was rescued by a helicopter.