Six French climbers have died after a terrifying 250-metre fall from Mont Blanc, officials said Wednesday, one of the worst accidents in a decade on Europe's highest mountain, reports Yahoo! News.
"We are certain that the climbers unfortunately died on the spot after a fall of around 250 metres (800 feet)," rescue police spokesman Frederic Labrunye told reporters.
The group of four men and one woman, aged between 27 and 45 and accompanied by a experienced guide, set out on Tuesday for the "Aiguille d'Argentiere" peak on the Mont Blanc massif, which stands at 3,902 metres (12,802 feet).
The weather deteriorated rapidly and the accident likely happened some time around midday, authorities said.
Frantic rescue efforts began after the group failed to return to the refuge as planned but were severely hampered by bad weather.
Five bodies were found early on Wednesday, with the sixth discovered in a crevasse later in the day.
Read more of this AFP report published by Yahoo! News.