Chamonix, France – A 39-year-old Argentine climber was killed following a fall while mountaineering in the Mont Blanc region of France, while his cousin sustained severe injuries during the accident and was transported to the hospital for surgery and medical treatment.
Fall During Descent
Argentine media reported that the victim, Gabriel Ancium, originally from the city of Mendoza, was climbing with his cousin in the “Aiguille du Peigne” sector within the Chamonix mountain range. The accident occurred during their descent after completing the climb, as both slipped and fell down a corridor known as the “Couloir Papillon.” Other climbers present in the area discovered them and immediately notified emergency and rescue teams.
Rescue Efforts and Hospitalization
The French Gendarmerie unit specializing in mountain rescue in Chamonix stated that both men suffered a fall while descending a rock wall. Despite rescue attempts, Ancium succumbed to the injuries sustained in the fall, whereas his cousin was transferred to Salleches Hospital in the Haute-Savoie department, where he underwent surgery and remains under care.
Climber and Winemaker
The ascent phase of the trip had proceeded normally before the accident occurred during their return. Ancium was in Europe for work-related reasons and took the opportunity to engage in mountaineering with his cousin. Ancium worked as an oenologist and winemaker in the Mendoza province of Argentina, having co-developed a wine label in recent years alongside his friend Federico Vargas Arizo. His death sparked grief among friends and colleagues in Mendoza, while the Mont Blanc and Chamonix regions remain top global destinations for mountaineering despite hazards associated with rocky terrain, steep slopes, and changing alpine conditions.
