Two Italian Climbers Found Dead After Avalanche in Abruzzo Mountains

The bodies of Luca Perazzini, 42, and Cristian Gualdi, 48, were discovered after a five-day search complicated by extreme weather conditions.

Luca Perazzini and Cristian Gualdi were killed by an avalanche while climbing in the Gran Sasso massif in Italy's Abruzzo region.
The climbers had sent a distress call but rescue efforts were hindered by heavy snow, subzero temperatures, and wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h.
Their bodies were located on Friday morning by a helicopter crew using sonar technology after days of dangerous search conditions.
The men, both from Emilia-Romagna, had been climbing at an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters when the avalanche struck.
Flags in their hometown of Santarcangelo were lowered to half-mast as the community mourns their loss during the holiday season.