Three mountaineers have died in the Italian Alps authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Rescue teams discovered their bodies at an altitude of about 3,600 metres on the Gran Paradiso after receiving an emergency call.
The group had set out early that morning for the summit of Gran Paradiso, which is 4,061 metres high, after spending the night in a mountain hut.
When they failed to return, an alert was raised.
Rescuers believe the climbers died on the mountain’s northern face.
Details surrounding the incident were not immediately clear, but Italian media report they may have fallen hundreds of metres.
Two of the deceased have been confirmed as Italian nationals. The identity of the third victim was not yet known.
Gran Paradiso is considered one of the easiest peaks over 4,000 metres to climb, but it still requires excellent physical condition and technical preparation.
