Two climbers from Romagna are stuck in a gully. 18 people including rescuers and workers have now stopped in a shelter
Cristian Gualdi48 year old entrepreneur from Savignano, e Luca Perazzini42 year old electrician from Santarcangelo, I am the two climbers from Romagna who were stuck on the Gran Sasso after slipping into the Inferno Valley while descending from the Bafile bivouac area at an altitude of 2,669 metres. They left on Saturday 21 December and raised the alarm on Sunday 22 December, the day on which rescuers worked until 10.45pm to try to save them.
Difficulties due to weather conditions
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The searches were temporarily suspended during the night between Sunday and Monday due to the weather conditions. The technicians of the Alpine Rescue, the soldiers of the Guardia di Finanza, the Carabinieri and the police officers, in fact, were unable to approach the area indicated by the two climbers. Yesterday morning, Monday 23 December, the searches were restarted, but then stopped again due to bad weather: very strong gusts of wind, fog, rain and snow made the visibility practically zero. It was impossible to reach the point indicated by Gualdi and Perazzini.
The situation of the two mountaineers missing on Gran Sasso
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Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini would not be next to each other in these difficult hours, because, slipping, they would have remained spaced about 20 meters apart. However, they would be able to communicate with each other. One of the two contacted the emergency number a second time after triggering the first alarm, but according to the operators he had difficulty speaking and the fear is that this is a symptom of frostbite. The one of the two who did not raise the alarm would have been left without a backpack and perhaps even without some clothing. Gualdi and Perazzini are two expert mountaineerswith many excursions together behind us. Their family membersmeanwhile, have reached Abruzzo in these hours.
Rescuers stranded
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For the rescuers, who have been working since Sunday to try to save Gualdi and Perazzini, the operations are extremely complicatedespecially due to the wind blowing at around 140 km per hour. There was also a cable car failure which remained blocked for many hours due to bad weather and some rescuers were unable to return to the valley. At the moment 18 people are stuck at the “Lo Zio” hostel: these are eleven rescuers from the Alpine Rescue, while the others are workers at the refuge.
Adverse weather until after Christmas
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Rescuers will probably be able to move only after the weather conditions have improved, but unfortunately, based on forecasts, there will only be a positive change in the weather after Christmas. The relatives of the two missing mountaineers are currently in Fonte Cerreto, the base of the Gran Sasso cable car which takes you to the Campo Imperatore station at an altitude of 2,100 metres. Two psychologists were also involved to help them face these hours of apprehension while waiting for news from Gualdi and Perazzini, who both have partners (the first is married, the second engaged), but have no children.
Gazzetta dello Sport
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