Andrea Oggioni has died

On 16 July 1961, Andrea Oggioni died during a “troubled” ascent of the Pilastro Centrale del Freney. This route had not yet been climbed, and the rope team – comprising Andrea, Walter Bonatti and Roberto Gallieni – attempted the first ascent. During the ascent, they encountered a party of four French mountaineers who began to compete with them. Halfway up, they were hit by a spell of bad weather which forced the climbers to remain on the face for a whole week. Oggioni and three French mountaineers perished on the night of 16 July due to the cold and exhaustion.