Swiss killed in Mont Blanc glider crash

Mont Blanc has claimed the lives of several high flyers and thrill seekers Keystone

A glider aircraft carrying a Swiss and New Zealand citizen has crashed into the slopes of Mont Blanc on the border between Switzerland and Italy on Wednesday. The cause of the accident is unknown. 

The aircraft had left the Bex airfield in canton Vaud and crashed around 3pm into the southern side of the Mont Blanc massif at Val Ferret, above Courmayeur. The wreckage was found at an altitude of around 2,500m by the Aosta Valley mountain rescue team after being alerted by hikers who had heard the crash. The victims are believed to be in their seventies. 

The impact was very violent as the aircraft had completely disintegrated. The recovery operation was completed late afternoon and the Italian police at Entreves is handling the investigation.

#RegioniExternal link #Valle_d_AostaExternal link #notizieExternal link #regioniExternal link Un aliante precipita sul Monte Bianco, morti due… http://t.co/2fFrWDbWL3External link pic.twitter.com/CPo0A8u74oExternal link

— ContattoNews (@contattonews) August 12, 2015External link

An investigation was also opened by the Italian agency for flight safety, whose inspectors will conduct an inspection in the area tomorrow and will consult the glider instrumentation to try to understand the causes of the accident. 

In early July, three French paragliders lost their lives in separate incidents while navigating the Mont Blanc massif.