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Gran Sasso: Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini, the two missing mountaineers, found dead

The search ended tragically: the bodies of the two climbers from Romagna, missing since December 22, were located thanks to the Sonar Recco device during a helicopter flyover.

Gran Sasso: Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini, the two missing mountaineers, found dead.

Tragic conclusion for the two missing climbers

After days of intense searches, the lifeless bodies of Cristian Gualdi, 42, and Luca Perazzini, 48, both originally from Santarcangelo di Romagna, were found. The two mountaineers disappeared on Sunday, December 22, while descending from the Direttissima to Corno Grande del Gran Sasso. Rescue teams located the bodies using a Sonar Recco device during a helicopter overflight.

Search operations

Since this morning, the operations have seen the joint involvement of various forces, including the Alpine Rescue, the Guardia di Finanza, the Fire Brigade and the air support provided by an air ambulance from the Abruzzo Region. A total of about thirty rescuers have worked tirelessly to try to locate the two missing people.

The Sonar Recco device, already used in February 2021 to search for hikers lost under an avalanche on Monte Velino, played a crucial role in locating the bodies. The device, mounted on board the helicopter, is able to detect signals reflected by metal devices or fabrics with reflective materials present in technical clothing.

The context of the tragedy

Gualdi and Perazzini were expert mountaineers, but the mountain proved to be relentless. Last Sunday, during the descent from the Direttissima, the two slipped into a gully, tragically ending their adventure on the Gran Sasso. The last distress signal was sent from Vallone dell'Inferno, a particularly impervious and dangerous area, already explored yesterday by four financial officers from the Guardia di Finanza Alpine Rescue. However, the inspection did not allow for the identification of visible traces of the missing, due to the accumulation of snow and adverse weather conditions.

The weather and the difficulties of recovery

The search, which began immediately after the emergency was reported, was hampered by harsh weather conditions, with strong winds, fog and a high risk of avalanches. For several days, the Gran Sasso cable car was closed due to bad weather, making it even more difficult for rescue teams to move around.

Today, finally, a meteorological truce has allowed operations to resume in a more incisive way. As underlined by Daniele Perilli, president of the Alpine and Speleological Rescue, "it is the first real day of good weather" and it has been exploited to the fullest to complete the search operations.

Respect and discretion towards families

The news of the discovery of the bodies was not communicated immediately to allow the rescuers to notify the families of the victims first. This gesture of respect and sensitivity allowed the relatives to be informed directly and privately, before the tragedy was made public.

A warning to all mountaineers

The tragic end of Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini is a warning about the unpredictability of the mountain, even for expert climbers. The weather conditions and the dangerousness of the terrain of the Gran Sasso are well known, and experts emphasize the importance of meticulous preparation and continuous risk assessment.

Rescue teams are now focusing on recovering the bodies, an equally complex operation due to the difficult environmental conditions. In the meantime, the mountaineering community and the citizens of Santarcangelo di Romagna are united in grief over the loss of two mountain enthusiasts, remembered for their experience and their love of nature.

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