Mountaineer from Argentina meets fatal end in the Alps.

The sobering finish to the hunt for Argentine mountaineer Nicolás Benedetti, who had vanished in the Alps, proved to be devastating. The man, a skilled mountain guide hailing from Bariloche, was discovered deceased by rescue squads in a challenging-to-reach zone of the Mont Blanc massif, following a tragedy that took place on a Wednesday.

How did Nicolás Benedetti's misfortune unfold?

The grim outcome transpired on a Wednesday when the mountain guide endeavored on a personal mission: to circumnavigate Mont Blanc in a paraglider. Per the event's reconstruction, a gust of wind sent him veering off course and crashing into a rugged outcrop dividing France and Italy. The collision was fatal.

The deceased was identified as Nicolás Gregorio Benedetti, a 53-year-old guide from Mar del Plata, but primarily a long-term resident of Bariloche. The accident occurred while he was soaring near Mont Blanc's summit, at an approximate elevation of around 4800 meters above sea level, in an area embracing the French town of Chamonix and the Italian village of Courmayeur.

How Did the Rescue Mission for Benedetti Unfold?

The notice of his disappearance was reported by Nahuel Campitelli, the head of the rescue commission of the Club Andino de Bariloche, who was paragliding alongside Martín Heredia, another Santa Cruz guide. Campitelli shared with the Diario Río Negro outlet that Benedetti "hadn't managed to land on time and kept flying" until he encountered "difficult terrain and the wind kept tossing him about". Eventually, visual and radio contact with him was lost.

After the alert, an Italian search team began an intense manhunt. The location was ascertained thanks to the tracking of his satellite phone. However, the crash site, at 4100 meters in elevation, presented formidable access difficulties and treacherous weather conditions that thwarted immediate recovery. On Friday, a helicopter was able to reach the area to retrieve the body.

Who was Nicolás Benedetti?

Nicolás Benedetti was a well-regarded figure in the mountaineering community. He was a member of the Association of High Mountain Guides and held the qualification to operate as a guide in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. His fascination with the mountains led him to travel frequently to the French Alps during the summer season for climbing and paragliding excursions.

"He had boundless energy. I've known him since '92, and we were part of the mountain community," remembered his friend Nahuel Campitelli in conversation with the Rio Negro outlet.

A Strikingly Similar Precedent

Benedetti's tragedy occurred less than a month after another fatal incident involving a colleague of his in the same massif. In mid-May, Lucas Buzzeiro, a 49-year-old mountain guide from Bariloche and member of the same association, met his demise on Mont Blanc.

The similarities between the two cases are glaring. Buzzeiro, who also made summer trips to France to work, was skiing on the couloir des Cosmiques, one of the most challenging and popular descents in the Haute-Savoie region. According to the reports, the man began his descent through the corridor, which has a 45-degree incline, when he lost his balance, went off-piste, and plummeted into the abyss from a height of at least 300 meters.

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