Monte Pelmo, tragic accident during Dolomite mountain rescue

Words fail to describe the latest, umpteenth tragedy to hit the Mountain Rescue service, as this morning at dawn Alberto Bonafede (43) and Aldo Giustina (42) lost their lives on Monte Pelmo in the Dolomites. wWords fail to describe the feeling of impotence, sadness and also anger when faced by this disaster which takes away for good the best mountain people, those who have a love and credos so strong that they put not their lives into first place, but that of the others. Words simply fail and the void is absolute.

As all national media have reported, this morning Alberto Bonafede and Aldo Giustina abseiled off the summit of Monte Pelmo to rescue two German climbers blocked just short of the summit on the final pitches on the Simon-Rossi, a classic route up the North Face established in 1924.

Due to fog a helicopter rescue had been deemed impossible and while the two rescuers abseiled off a large rockfall, estimated at 2500 cubic metres, severed their ropes and they plunged to their death. The German climbers were later plucked to safety by helicopter, while the bodies of the rescuers have not yet been located seeing that rockfalls continue to tumble down the mountain.

Alberto Bonafede and Aldo Giustina were both married, both had children. Our thoughts go to them, to their families, to the entire San Vito di Cadore community which once again has become orphaned. And, this we know for sure, the entire mountaineering world embraces them all. To find the strength to escape from this dammed void.