Four Italians have been identified among the dead, including a 52-year-old mountain guide. He is said to have led one of the two later buried rope teams. A 48-year-old manager from Veneto is one of the victims. His 51-year-old wife survived with multiple fractures and is hospitalized. The other fatalities are believed to be foreigners, but their identities are not yet known.
According to the rescue units, the probability of being able to rescue missing people alive is extremely low. “We have a moral obligation to return the bodies of the victims to the relatives,” stressed Luca Zaia, President of the Veneto region, which includes parts of the Marmolada massif.
A day of mourning is planned for Saturday in the Trentino town of Canazei. The Archbishop of Trento, Lauro Tisi, will celebrate a memorial ceremony in honor of the victims with the parish priest of Canazei Mario Bravin, member of the Alpine Rescue.