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Bodies of climber, cameraman found after 16 years

Photo of Alex Lowe and Conrad Anker in 1995. Courtesy: Chris Noble/Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation

Photo of Alex Lowe and Conrad Anker in 1995. Courtesy: Chris Noble/Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation


Cheryl Santa Maria
Digital Reporter

Monday, May 2, 2016, 4:54 PM - The bodies of elite climber Alex Lowe and cameraman David Bridges have been found encased in ice, 16 years after they were struck by an avalanche on Tibet's Shishapangma mountain.

At the time he went missing, Lowe was considered one of the best climbers in the world, having conquered Mount Everest twice, the Matterhorn and Yosemite's El Capitan a staggering 16 times.

Lowe and Bridges, along with climber Conrad Anker, sent out on a hike on October 5, 1999 to scout out a skiing location when an avalanche struck.

Anker survived the ordeal. He searched for the pair but was unable to find them.


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Last Wednesday, he received a call from two climbers named David Goettler and Ueli Steck.

"They had come across the remains of two climbers still encased in blue ice but beginning to emerge from the glacier," reads a statement on the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation website.

"Goettler described the clothing and packs of the climbers to Conrad who concluded that the two were undoubtedly David Bridges and Alex Lowe."

VIDEO: THE SCIENCE BEHIND AVALANCHES:

Anker, who later married Lowe's widow Jenni and adopted Lowe's three sons, said in a statement the discovery "brings closure and relief for me and Jenni and our family." 

Lowe-Anker said the family plans to travel to to Shishapangma.

"Alex and David vanished, were captured and frozen in time. Sixteen years of life has been lived and now they are found. We are thankful," she said in a statement.

Sources: CNN | The Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation

VIDEO: AVALANCHE SURVIVAL TIPS:

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