Two climbers found dead on Italy’s Gran Sasso massif five days after falling into ravine

ROME — The bodies of two Italian climbers have been found on Italy’s Gran Sasso massif five days after they disappeared during an excursion, rescuers said.

Rescue teams supported by a helicopter managed to reach the location on Friday where the two men went missing in the central Abruzzo region.

The area is a stretch of rocks and snow and the rescue operation was hampered by adverse weather conditions, with strong winds and a high risk of avalanches.

The mountaineers were climbing the Gran Sasso on Sunday when they slipped into a ravine and lost visual contact with each other, Italian media reported.

Despite the difficult circumstances, one of them was able to make an emergency call. According to media reports, they were about 20 meters (66 feet) apart and could hear each other.

Rescuers battled a violent storm and had to spend two nights in a shelter at an altitude of 2,100 meters due to the strong winds and snowfall.