Overview
- Three climbers from Trentino fell from the north face of Gran Paradiso and were found at about 3,600 metres after a missing‑person alert late Friday.
- The Gran Paradiso victims have been identified as Antonio Sardano, 49, Sergio Martinelli, 29, and Maicol (Michael) Zenatti, 39, and their bodies were recovered by regional mountain rescue teams.
- A first reconstruction by the Guardia di Finanza mountain unit (SAGF) says one climber may have slipped and dragged two cord‑partners off route, but formal cause determinations are still pending.
- In the following 24 hours four more climbers died on high‑altitude routes: two on the Kuffner Ridge of Mont Maudit, one on the Brenva glacier and one on the Matterhorn, with PGHM, Air Zermatt and Soccorso Alpino units conducting recoveries.
- The concentrated fatalities underline how technical, exposed routes rated 'Abbastanza Difficile Superiore' to 'Difficile Inferiore' can be deadly even for experienced alpinists and have led to cross‑border rescue cooperation and ongoing forensic inquiries.