The Alpine Rescue Service reported via Twitter that a large section of ice, also known as a serac, had collapsed on the Marmolada Glacier during the ascent to the summit. It also said that all Alpine rescue stations in the area have been activated, including dog units and at least five helicopters. An employee at the Castiglioni Marmolada Refuge, a local inn, witnessed the collapse of the serac, telling Skytg24 that he “heard a loud noise, characteristic of a landslide, then we saw a kind of avalanche made up of snow and ice and that’s when I knew something serious had happened ». The collapse also came amid record local temperatures, Skytg24 reported, reaching around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) at the mountain’s summit. Many areas of western Europe, including Italy, have been experiencing a long heatwave over the past month.
