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CatastropheItaly

Italy: Rescuers find last body after glacier collapse

July 9, 2022

Officials in Italy say they have now found the bodies of all 11 people who went missing when a piece of the Marmolada glacier detached and launched an avalanche in the Dolomites.

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A sign reading 'Marmolada' with the mountain slope visible in the distance
Some relatives have questioned why hikers and climbers were allowed near the glacierImage: Luca Bruno/AP Photo/picture alliance

Rescue crews discovered the remains of a female hiker on Saturday who lost her life when a large section of the Marmolada glacier detached last weekend. She is the last of 11 people reported missing following the subsequent avalanche.

"We have identified all the victims," said police colonel Giampietro Lago.

"We've reached a toll of 11. As of today, we have no indications to make us think more people could be involved," he added.

Another eight people were injured in the avalanche of snow, ice and rocks when a massive piece of the Marmolada glacier broke apart from the main body. Officials said the chunk of ice was the size of an apartment building.

The incident came a day after record-high temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) was measured at the Marmolada peak. The mountain's summit reaches 3,343-meter (10,968 feet) in height, making the tallest mountain in the Italian Dolomites.

Relatives demand answers

Three different rescuer teams will continue combing the area with drones, according to officials. The rescuers will be searching for any other victims or personal effects, according to regional leader Maurizio Fugatti.

The Italian authorities used DNA samples to confirm the bodies' identity. The death toll includes six men and three women from Italy, and two men from the Czech Republic.

While officials pointed to climate change as the reason for the tragedy, some relatives blamed the government for allowing hikers and climbers into the area despite risks of an avalanche. The public prosecutors in the Trentino region are looking into the event.

"Why did nobody warn on Saturday that water had filtered beneath the glacier? Why did they not stop the people from going climbing?" Italian news agency ANSA quoted the sister of one missing Italian as saying after the avalanche.

"If someone is responsible, we shall pursue it to the end," she said.

dj/jcg (AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP)