Many people enjoy mountain climbing not only for exercise but also to challenge their limits. Forty-three years ago, a 20-year-old French climber disappeared at an altitude of 4,000 meters while ascending the Alps. His friend was devastated upon hearing the news and, from then on, climbed the mountains every few years searching for his friend. In August this year, he spotted "orange marks" in the glacier and suspects they might belong to his long-lost friend.
According to Le Dauphiné Libéré, the young climber Jean-François Benedetti went missing on July 25, 1976, while climbing alone in the Écrins Massif. Despite his family reporting the incident to authorities, he was never found. His friend Michel Baud was deeply saddened and has climbed the mountain every few years since then, trying to locate any trace of him.
In late August this year, Baud discovered “orange marks” on the Écrins glacier at an altitude of approximately 3,954 meters. Since such marks shouldn’t appear in a glacier, he suspected something unusual and promptly reported it. Rescue workers arrived on September 9 and began excavation. They found that the orange marks came from a climber’s backpack, and subsequently uncovered personal clothing and items, eventually leading to the discovery of human remains.
DNA testing is now being conducted to confirm whether the remains are those of Benedetti, and authorities believe the likelihood is very high. Baud said he and Benedetti were high school classmates who often went climbing together. Before Benedetti’s climb, he wrote a letter to his parents saying, “If I die in the mountains, please don’t be sad, because I’m just doing what I want to do—and I’m happy.”
Now 65, Baud said, “Over all these years, I’ve always felt he was calling me, so I had to find him.” He searched for Benedetti in 2004, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Now that he has finally found his friend’s remains, Baud hopes Benedetti can rest in peace. Since Benedetti’s parents have both passed away, once identified, the remains will be buried on the island of Corsica alongside family members.