Bodies of US climbers recovered in Peru

2012-07-31 47

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

The bodies of two U.S. climbers are recovered high in Peru's Andes.

Ben Horne and Gil Weiss are thought to have fallen more than 650 feet after a mountain ridge gave way.

The climbers went missing after starting a trek on the treacherous Mount Palcaraju.

A recovery team tracked the mountaineers after following their route up the peak.

They said the climbers died instantly.

The two bodies were taken to a morgue in a nearby city, where they were expected to be handed to family members.

Rescue worker Hector Reyes said the climbers may have been unprepared for the dangerous conditions.

SOUNDBITE: RESCUE WORKER, HECTOR REYES, SAYING (Spanish):

"They were probably overconfident mountaineers or they knew the climatic conditions and the snows condition of the season very vaguely."

Both Horne and Weiss were reportedly ardent travellers, and had visited the High Andes on previous trips.

Sarah Charlton, Reuters.