Seven alpinists are dead after a catastrophic 24-hour period in the north-western Alps on June 12 and 13 — the worst single weekend in the mountains so far in 2026. The fatalities stretched rescue services across France and Italy and paint a concerning picture for the summer climbing season ahead.
The grim weekend comes as Alpine rescue services brace for another busy summer after Italy recorded its deadliest mountain year on record in 2025. Last year, 528 people died in Italy’s mountains, with falls accounting for nearly half of all fatalities. Despite the attention given to avalanche accidents each winter, summer climbing, hiking, and mountaineering accidents consistently claim far more lives across the Alps.
The weekend’s deadliest single accident occurred Friday on the north face of Gran Paradiso, Italy’s highest mountain located entirely within Italian territory. Three experienced mountaineers from Trentino fell approximately 400 meters near 3,600 meters elevation. The victims were identified as Sergio Martinelli, 29, an economist and data analyst from Trento; Maicol Zenatti, 39, an IT professional from Brentonico; and Antonio Sardano, 49, a veteran emergency medical worker with Trentino Emergenza. The group had planned to return to Rifugio Chabod on Friday evening, but when they failed to arrive, families raised the alarm shortly after 7:30 p.m. Rescue teams later located the bodies on the mountain’s north face. Authorities have not yet determined exactly what caused the fall.
Saturday morning brought another tragedy when a brother and sister from Savoie, France, fell while climbing the Kuffner Ridge on Mont Maudit. The victims, aged 24 and 26, were climbing one of the most demanding routes in the Mont Blanc massif when they fell from a steep section of the ridge around 6 a.m. According to French media reports, a Slovak mountain guide in the area heard falling rocks and raised the alarm. The PGHM mountain rescue unit from Chamonix responded immediately but found both climbers dead at the scene.
The day at Mont Maudit could have nearly ended with even more deaths when around 11 a.m., a separate group of three climbers also fell on Mont Maudit. Remarkably, all three survived with injuries.
A third fatal accident occurred Saturday afternoon on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. A 44-year-old skier from Haute-Savoie fell approximately 100 meters while skiing the Brenva Spur, one of the mountain’s classic steep ski descents. His ski partner witnessed the accident and immediately alerted rescuers. A Dragon 74 helicopter and medical team responded, but the skier was pronounced dead at the scene. The body was transported to Entrèves while investigators from the Alpine Rescue Police unit (SAGF) began examining the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Another mountaineer lost his life Saturday on the Italian normal route of the Matterhorn. The climber fell several hundred meters near Pic Tyndall, a subsidiary summit at 4,241 meters located along the Italian ridge leading to the Matterhorn’s main summit. His rope partner survived without injury and was recovered by rescue teams. Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity or nationality.
The fatalities came during an exceptionally busy 24-hours for mountain rescue services throughout the region. By Saturday evening, the PGHM rescue unit in Chamonix had already responded to 11 separate incidents involving exhausted mountaineers, trauma injuries, and climbers stranded in technical terrain.
Many of the accidents occurred despite generally favorable weather conditions. Rescue officials have noted that warm temperatures and an accelerated seasonal snowpack melt are creating conditions more typical of mid-summer than mid-June.
Falls remain the leading cause of mountain fatalities across the Alps. According to Italy’s CNSAS mountain rescue service, slips and falls accounted for nearly half of all mountain deaths in 2025. Sadly, this weekend’s seven fatalities followed that same pattern.