2 German climbers freeze to death in Mont Blanc storm

PARIS – French rescuers say two German brothers died of apparent hypothermia when they were caught in a storm while climbing a glacier on Mont Blanc.

The mountain guide service of Chamonix said Thursday that the two men in their 40s started their climb up the Mont Blanc du Tacul on Monday in good weather conditions.

The service said the men successfully crossed a series of peaks on the route known as the Aiguilles du Diable, reaching nearly 4,200 metres (13,860 feet), but then got caught in a snowstorm with winds up to 120 kilometres per hour.

Their bodies were found Wednesday and the climbers’ families came to Chamonix to retrieve the bodies, according to the guide service.

The Mont Blanc du Tacul is part of the Mont Blanc massif.