You might call it badass, or you might call it cheating, but the police call it illegal. Two Swiss mountain climbers landed a small plane just 1,312 feet from the summit of Mont Blanc, Europe’s tallest peak with a height of 15 ,780 feet. Since the move wasn’t exactly subtle or legal, authorities were quickly in pursuit. Upon landing the plane they began climbing to the top of the mountain, presumably because they were either trying to incite local authorities, or were simply too lazy to make the full climb.
Photo: Jakub Cejpek/Shutterstock
Climbers Illegally Land Plane on Mont Blanc, Get Chased by Police
As reported by The Guardian, Eric Fourinier, mayor of the nearby town of Chamonix, said, “It constitutes an intolerable attack on the high mountain environment and on all existing protective measures.” He believes the incident was a deliberate provocation.
The climbers were equipped with tools like ropes and crampons, and wasted no time beginning their trek to the summit. Unfortunately for them, they were quickly intercepted by police and asked to turn back. They were not arrested, though their personal information was recorded and an investigation has been opened into any punishable offenses that may have been committed.
Due to high visitor numbers, authorities have introduced a daily cap of climbers on Mont Blanc. According to CNN, climbing the mountain is prohibited unless you have booked a room in one of its shelters, and defiance of this rule could result in a $336,000 fine and two years in jail. 