Slovak and Polish mountain climbers injured on Mont Blanc

The Foreign and European Affairs Ministry has confirmed that one Polish and three Slovak mountain climbers were involved in an accident when descending on the Italian side of Mont Blanc early on Tuesday, TASR learnt on the same day. "They were all on one rope, and a rock was torn off. A helicopter came to pick them up in the morning when the visibility was sufficient and transported them to one of hospitals in Valle d'Aosta region. The Slovak consul in Rome has already established contact with them," TASR was told by ministry press department director Igor Skoček. He specified that two Slovak nationals suffered light injuries, while the third was more seriously injured. The accident occurred at an altitude of 3,810 metres above sea level. The piece of rock on which the men, aged between 35-50, were standing came loose and they fell 50 metres into a chasm, where they became stuck in snow. It took four hours after the fall to find the injured and arrange transport to the hospital.