Horrible news from Annapurna 2005: Christian Kuntner has died: more details

Update:  Abele Blanc is still in shock but he got up a few minutes from his bed in Kathmandu Hospital.

Abele Blanc is still in shock after the dramatic experience happened

yesterday, when with other climbers has been hit by an ice avalanche and Christian Kuntner died due to inner haemorrhage. The Aosta Valley climber is hospitalized in Kathmandu. His conditions do not worrying but shock prevent him from recognizing his friends. A medical examination excluded head trauma and today he even got up from his bed for a few minutes.

In Kathmandu the Italian Embassy is helping the members of the expedition to organise the return to Italy. The conditions of Marco Barmasse (with only some wounds on his face) and Stephan Paul Andres (with a broken shoulder) are reassuring.

Marco Camandona who was with Silvio Mondinelli and other 3 climbers at about 6.600 m and 100 m above the rest of the expedition told: "The serac with big ice blocks fell 5 metres away from us. The ice avalanche swept away the other roped party for about 500 m. We were trying to reach Camp 3 and have just started going up along the fixed ropes. The serac came off at about 7.400 m from a glacier with a front of 2 km and 80 m that high hang over the

route from C2 to C3. For some hours we are compelled to walk under it."

Previous Update

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