“That is the primary such accident within the historical past of the mountain,” stated Gino Comelli, who was serving to to coordinate rescue efforts.
The height was too unstable for rescuers to attempt to strategy on foot, Comelli stated, including that latest sizzling climate had been an element within the collapse.
Rising common temperatures have triggered the Marmolada glacier, like many others world wide, to shrink steadily over latest many years.
“The Marmolada glacier collapse is a pure catastrophe linked on to local weather change,” stated Poul Christoffersen, a professor in Glaciology on the College of Cambridge.
“Excessive elevation glaciers such because the Marmolada are sometimes steep and counting on chilly temperatures under zero levels Celsius to maintain them secure,” he added.