A 24-year-old mountain climber plunged more than 130ft to her death as she was hiking on a peak in the Italian Alps with her boyfriend.
Victim Giulia Pern’s body was found at the bottom of a ravine on Mount Pirchiriano after her boyfriend raised the alarm.
The peak is the site of the ancient Sacra di San Michele abbey, the inspiration for writer Umberto Eco’s bestseller ‘The Name of the Rose’, later made into a hit film.
The 40-metre (131-foot) fall in the region of Piedmont on 2nd May has baffled rescuers as the couple – who lived nearby in the town of Druento – were experienced climbers and knew the area well.
A helicopter rescue team was called in to air-drop medics and rescuers into the ravine.
A statement by the mountain rescue services published by local media said: “Cardio-circulatory resuscitation manoeuvres were immediately started.
“However, the critical condition of the woman – who fell for about forty metres – did unfortunately not allow her to survive the accident.
“The doctor was forced to certify her death.”
It is unclear how Giulia fell and the incident – which occurred near Ponte Tibetano Ferrata (Iron Tibetan Bridge) – is being investigated.
Giulia was a former kindergarten support teacher and a graduate of the University of Turin’s Political Science Faculty.
She also took a Cultural Heritage Protection master’s degree and did a lot of cultural and social volunteering work.
Dozens of friends and local residents expressed their heartbreak on social media to her mourning parents, Marilena and Lino, and her brother Fabio.
Druento Mayor Carlo Vietti said: “We are shocked. There are no words o describe such a tragedy.
“It is not logical and right to die at the age of 24. All of Druento gathers around her dad Lino, her mom Marilena and her brother Fabio.”
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Story By: Thomas Hochwarter, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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