British climber 'lost on Mont Blanc' was at home

A British climber presumed lost on Mont Blanc for 10 days was safely back in England while authorities carried out extensive searches for him. Rescuers launched the hunt for the man - known only as Mark - after his gear was found buried under snow on the mountain in the Alps.

A spokesman said: "We gave his photograph to hotels and other places offering accommodation and eventually someone said they knew him and he had gone back to England. "We have spoken to him by telephone and confirmed this."

His tent, climbing equipment, a camera and a return train ticket were found 11,000ft up the mountain. Rescuers on foot and in helicopters scoured an area known as Vallee Blanche and CCTV footage of the mountain lift was examined.


Photo from here.

A newspaper appeal was issued along with a picture of the man that was found in the tent. Mark rang French police from his home in England to say he was safe.

He told how he had fallen into a crevasse during a snowstorm, and decided it was safer to abandon his gear and go back down the mountain. Once in the ski resort of Chamonix, he packed up and went home.

A mountain police spokesman said: "We certainly spent a lot of money and a lot of energy trying to find this man. But at least the story has a happy ending." He said they were not angry with him.