Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini, the two climbers who went missing on Gran Sasso, were discovered dead yesterday, having spent their final moments together, supporting each other through their ordeal. “They were close, no more than five meters apart. Their voices kept them connected, even though they couldn’t see each other,” recounted Marco Iovenitti, deputy head of the Alpine Rescue station in L’Aquila, who was the last person to speak with them by phone. This bond between the two friends from Romagna provided solace amidst the harsh elements of the Vallone dell’Inferno.
The day of the incident, December 22, began with unstable weather that quickly escalated into a fierce storm, enveloping Luca and Cristian in an “absolute white” scenario that can disorient even the most experienced climbers, according to rescuers. Although the duo attempted to return, the unpredictable nature of the mountain proved fatal, leading to their tragic end as they succumbed to the extreme cold. With nighttime temperatures plummeting to minus sixteen degrees Celsius, survival became impossible.
The search operation that followed was intense, filled with hope but fraught with challenges as rescuers battled severe weather conditions: winds reaching 150 km/h, zero visibility, and frigid temperatures. Ultimately, Cristian and Luca were located approximately 50 meters apart at the same spot where the alarm had been raised on Sunday morning, December 22, at an altitude of 2,700 meters. “We did our utmost, but we knew that every passing hour diminished the chances of finding them alive,” stated Alessandro Marucci, head of the Alpine Rescue station in L’Aquila and a professor of engineering, reflecting on the harrowing efforts to locate the climbers.
