Climber's body found in the ice after 17 years; HE LIES NEXT TO FROZEN PAL.Byline: NICK PISA Pisa (pē`sä), city (1991 pop. 98,928), capital of Pisa prov., Tuscany, N central Italy, on the Arno River. It is now c.6 mi (9.7 km) from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which once reached the city. in Rome and RICHARD SMITH THE frozen body of a British mountaineer who disappeared 17 years ago has been found in the Italian Alps. Michael Seavers was 30 when he vanished in a fierce snowstorm on Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (môN bläN), Alpine massif, on the French-Italian border, SE of Geneva. One of its several peaks, also called Mont Blanc (15,771 ft/4,807 m), is the highest peak in France and the second highest in Europe. with three other climbers. The bodies of William Ogburn, 32, of Devizes, Wilts wilt 1 v. wilt·ed, wilt·ing, wilts v.intr. 1. To become limp or flaccid; droop: plants wilting in the heat. 2. , and Leslie Byron Lawrence, 29, of Marlborough, Wilts, were discovered six months later. But Michael, from Bristol, and his German friend, Dirk Ziolkowske, 24, were not found until a guide spotted them in a melting glacier. Rescue teams recovered their preserved bodies which were 10,500ft up Europe's highest mountain, close to the Toula glacier. Delfino Veglione, of Aosta region mountain rescue, said: "The freezing temperatures have preserved the bodies remarkably well. They were found frozen to each other which suggests they were huddling together to keep warm. "It looked like they were trying to make for a disused disused Adjective no longer used Adj. 1. disused - no longer in use; "obsolete words" obsolete noncurrent - not current or belonging to the present time disused adj cable car station to shelter from the storm but didn't make it." Yesterday, Michael's family spoke of their sorrow. His father, Ian, of Mount Fitchet fitch·ew also fitch·et n. Archaic The Old World polecat or its fur. [Middle English ficheux, possibly from Walloon ficheau, diminutive of Middle Dutch vitsche, visse.] , Essex, said: "We have been waiting for this news for a number of years. It's a lot to take in after all this time. I'm so very shocked to hear this. "At the time, we wanted his body back so we could bury it at home. But now, after he's spent all this time out there, I don't know what we'll do." William Ogburn's widow, Fiona, now 45, gave birth six months after the tragedy. She is on holiday in France and unaware of the discovery. Her mother, Ursula Dolman, 67, said: "At least Mike and Dirk were found together, but it's terribly sad." The group went missing in February 1989, while climbing Mont Blanc as part of a training exercise for an expedition to the Himalayas. Winds of 100mph swept in and temperatures plummeted as they became overwhelmed by a blizzard. The alarm was raised by a fifth member of the party, Briton Andrew Vaudin, who had not joined them on the climb and became concerned when his friends failed to return. richard.smith@mirror.co.uk CAPTION(S): TRAGIC: Michael, left, vanished climbing Mont Blanc in 1989 |
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