Polish climber dies on Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc: photo - EPA/ Arno Balzarini

Six other members of the expedition, including four Poles and two Spaniards, are currently being treated in an Italian hospital for hypothermia.

Information about the deaths was confirmed by Jerzy Adamczyk, Polish consul in Milan.

The alpinists set out on Friday in two groups, but a sudden change in the weather proved fatal as the climbers scaled the Dome de Gouter peak on the Italian French border.

After problems set in, sic of the climbers managed to reach a shelter at the foot of Mont Blanc, and were then taken to a hospital in the city of Aosta.

The situation of the survivors is not grave.

Last week, some nine climbers were killed during an avalanche on Mont Blanc, with this weekend's disaster taking the overall death toll to the worst level in almost fifty years. (nh)