The first report of the collapse of a serac that occurred this morning on the French side of the Mont Blanc massif indicates one victim and four wounded, one of whom is in very serious condition. This is reported by the Haute-Savoie Prefecture. A total of 15 climbers were involved in the collapse. The incident took place in the Mont Blanc Du Tacul area, at an altitude of 4,100 meters. Rescue operations are ongoing. Seven other individuals emerged unscathed.
“According to the initial information gathered, the cause of the serac’s collapse appears to be natural.” This is stated by the Haute-Savoie Prefecture regarding the incident on Mont Blanc de Tacul, in the territory of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France.
As far as is known, the provisional balance is one deceased person, one injured in “absolute urgency,” and three in “relative urgency.”
At the time of the collapse, “several groups of climbers were moving in the vicinity”: all 15 climbers involved have been taken care of by rescue services and transported to hospitals in Sallanches and Annecy.
At the scene, after the alarm was raised, helicopters from the national gendarmerie and the French civil protection, two search dog teams along with firefighters and the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne of Chamonix, as well as medical personnel intervened.