Japanese Climbers Found 45 Years After They Went Missing On Matterhorn – Global Warming Helped With Discovery?
Two climbers have been found after 45 years in the Swiss alps. The men had gone missing on August 18, 1970 after an unexpected snow storm had become their doom.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Japanese climbers had become trapped in a glacier where they have been for the last half decade. Their remains were identified through DNA testing of their relatives.
Michio Oikawa and Masayuki Kobayashi had gone adventuring and set up camp at the base of the Matterhorn, and that was the last anyone had seen of either of them until now. Weather conditions at the time were too severe to continue looking for them, and the search had been aborted.
Police spokesman Stephane Vouardoux explained what had happened.
“They had spent the night before in a hut because they wanted to ascend the north face of the Matterhorn. They were probably surprised by a snow storm when they disappeared. The snow storm lasted a few days which prevented the rescue teams from searching.”
The remains of the climbers were found after 45 years nestled in a melting glacier, possibly due to global warming. Forensic scientists had used their bones to establish DNA profiles in cooperation with the Japanese consulate in Geneva, according to CNN.
Oikawa and Kobayashi are only two of over 500 who lost their lives attempting the same thing they did. The Matterhorn is a popular destination for adventurous Japanese and American tourists, having seen its share of contenders for 150 years.
Japanese mountain climbers’ remains found on Matterhorn identified after 45 years: The remains of two Japanese… http://t.co/CrdF8aMj8v
— Double Click (@DoubleClick___) August 7, 2015
Police say that climbers have been discovered dead in the area for the last few decades, usually around bodies of water.
“More and more regularly, the receding of glaciers permits the discovery of missing climbers after dozens of years.”
With the climbers being found after 45 years being among hundreds, more missing men and women are likely to be uncovered as global warming allegedly continues to melt glaciers near the Matterhorn and around the world.
[Image via Zacharie Grossen / Wikipedia]
