Three climbers died on Gran Paradiso, a 4,061-metre mountain in Italy's Graian Alps on Saturday.
Mountain rescue teams discovered the three bodies at an altitude of about 3,600 metres after receiving an emergency call. The group had set out early on Saturday for the mountain's summit after spending the night in a hut, but had not returned by evening. An alarm was then triggered.
According to the mountain rescue service, the climbers fell to their deaths on the mountain's north face. The exact circumstances remain unclear. According to official reports, two of the victims were Italian. The nationality of the third victim was not initially known.
Gran Paradiso, located in the national park of the same name in north-western Italy, is considered one of the easiest four-thousand-metre peaks to climb in the Alps. Nevertheless, excellent physical and technical preparation are needed to attempt the climb.
