24 October 2024,   02:39
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US mountaineer buried by avalanche 22 years ago found preserved in ice, police say

Police have found the well-preserved body of an American mountaineer who was buried by an avalanche 22 years ago as he tried to climb one of the highest peaks in the Andes, writes The Guardian.

Police in the Ancash region found the body of William Stampfl on Friday near a camp 5,200 meters above sea level. The 58-year-old Stampfl had been trying to climb the 6,768-meter Mount Huascarán.

Police said Stampfl’s body was preserved by the ice and freezing temperatures and still had well-preserved climbing boots, crampons and clothing. They said the body was easy to identify also because the climber had been carrying his driving license and passport.

Hundreds of climbers visit the mountain each year with local guides, and it takes them about a week to reach the summit.

Stampfl, a self-employed civil engineer born in Austria, was with friends Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine when they attempted the ascent in 2002.

Erskine’s body was found shortly after the avalanche, but Richardson’s is still missing.

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