Czech climber killed on Mont Blanc after being struck by falling rock

A Czech citizen has died on Mont Blanc in France after being struck by a falling rock while climbing the mountain, causing him to fall several dozen metres down the slope. The incident occurred on Thursday at around 3:30 pm on a section of the route near the commune of Saint-Gervais in the Haute-Savoie department — a stretch known to be dangerous but popular among climbers.

"We can confirm the tragic death of a Czech citizen while climbing Mont Blanc. Our colleagues on the ground are providing consular assistance to the family of the deceased and remain in contact with them. We offer our sincere condolences to all his loved ones," a representative of the Czech consulate said.

Second climber unharmed

According to French media, the victim was accompanied by another Czech climber, who was unhurt in the rockfall. It was he who alerted the rescue services to what had happened.

Poor weather conditions prevented the Chamonix-based Choucas 74 rescue helicopter from taking off. A civilian rescue helicopter, Dragon 74 from Annecy, had to be called in instead. Despite the rescuers' arrival, however, the Czech climber could not be saved. His compatriot was later airlifted to the foot of the mountain.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz