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Swiss Identify Remains of Japanese Climbers Missing for 45 Years | Swiss Identify Remains of Japanese Climbers Missing for 45 Years |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two Japanese mountain climbers caught in a snowstorm and buried under nearly a half-century of Alpine ice have been identified, police in Switzerland announced on Tuesday. | Two Japanese mountain climbers caught in a snowstorm and buried under nearly a half-century of Alpine ice have been identified, police in Switzerland announced on Tuesday. |
The remains of Masayuki Kobayashi, 21, who disappeared in a blizzard in 1970 while preparing to climb the north face of the Matterhorn, and his trekking partner, Michio Oikawa, 22, were identified with DNA tests after a mountaineer discovered their remains at the foot of the mountain last year. | |
“They were probably surprised by a snowstorm when they disappeared,” a Swiss police spokeswoman, Stephane Vouardoux, told Reuters on Friday. “The snowstorm lasted a few days which prevented the rescue teams from searching.” | “They were probably surprised by a snowstorm when they disappeared,” a Swiss police spokeswoman, Stephane Vouardoux, told Reuters on Friday. “The snowstorm lasted a few days which prevented the rescue teams from searching.” |
Almost 45 years later, genetic material from bones found by a climber in melting glacial ice last September was matched by Swiss forensic examiners to DNA provided by the Japanese climbers’ relatives. | |
Police attributed the discovery of the bones last year to shrinking glaciers, which, as they melt, reveal bodies and other artifacts that have long been buried. | Police attributed the discovery of the bones last year to shrinking glaciers, which, as they melt, reveal bodies and other artifacts that have long been buried. |