A 42-year-old Belgian hiker has died while climbing the Tofanes in the Italian Dolomites, according to Foreign Affairs officials and Italian news sources.
Rescue services reportedly arrived by helicopter but could only confirm the hiker's death. The victim was with a 28-year-old friend, who was left in shock.
Early investigations suggest both were kitted out for Via Ferrata – hiking routes that use steel cables, rungs and ladders – but their lanyards were not attached to the cable at the time of the accident. It seems the victim slipped and fell.
The Foreign Affairs Office has confirmed the death but provided no additional information on the circumstances of the accident.
