The sport of skiing has been left reeling following the death of a world champion and her female climbing companion in the French Alps.
Adele Milloz, 26, and an unnamed friend, 30, were attempting to scale Mont Blanc when tragedy struck shortly after 6pm on Friday evening. According to mountain guides, the pair reportedly lost their footing on the Alpine peak's route to Aiguille du Peigne.
Hikers came across the women's bodies minutes later, with the deaths deemed accidental. Police have confirmed they are now investigating the exact circumstances of the fatal incident.
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Milloz, who grew up close to the Alps, shot to stardom in 2017 at the Winter Military World Games in Sochi. The Frenchwoman won gold in individual and team sprint ski mountaineering in Russia, and then retired from skiing two years later to become a professional mountain guide.
Following news of her death, tributes have been paid to Milloz, with Company of Guides of Chamonix chairman Olivier Greber describing her as a "luminous young woman." Via the Daily Mail, he added: "The whole company feels infinite sadness today."
The French Mountain and Climbing Federation stated: "We will always miss her smile," and a High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon spokesperson explained: "The high mountains have become more dangerous with the drought."
In July, climbers were advised to cancel any planned trips to the Alps amid the record dry conditions, increasing the likelihood of dangerous rockfalls. However, the route that Milloz and her climbing partner took wasn't closed off.
Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe, and temperature rises and heatwaves have had significant impacts on its climbing routes. Some paths have been temporarily closed off in recent years because of a very high rockfall danger.
Furthermore, France has just undergone its hottest July since records began with temperatures reaching 42 degrees in parts of the country. The weather has caused droughts and frequent fires, with more than 230 square miles of land having been burnt in 2022.
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