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Professional Italian skier Jean Daniel Pession, 28, and his girlfriend Elisa Arlian, 27, died in a tragic mountain accident after falling nearly 2,300 feet off Mount Cervino in the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy on Saturday, the Italian Winter Sports Federation confirmed in a statement.
According to to the statement, the couple, who were both ski instructors, were nearing the summit when they fell into a crevasse and were buried by snow, according to RAI, Italy's national public broadcaster. Their bodies were found still roped together "in a final embrace" hours after being reported missing.
"They were almost at the summit, just a step away, when suddenly they were betrayed by the mountain they loved so much," RAI reported in a retweet by @Tg3web. A signal from one of their cell phones aided rescuers in locating their "lifeless" bodies.
"They had set out early in the morning to reach a peak both knew well," the RAI news story stated. "When their families didn't see them return, they called the emergency center, which immediately activated the helicopters... When the technicians lowered themselves with the winch, they found them still tied together."
Pession was a member of the Italian World Cup ski team. The tragic accident has prompted an outpouring of condolences from officials and the local community.
"Two young lives cut short by a mountain accident, that mountain which was their passion," said Alberto Bertin, President of Aosta Valley's Regional Council. "In this moment of deep sadness, we express our closeness to the families, friends, and the entire sports community."
Renzo Testolin, President of Aosta Valley, and Flavio Roda, President of the Italian Winter Sports Federation, also expressed sympathies for the couple's loved ones.
"Roda and the entire Federation express their condolences to [their families] for this tragic misfortune," the federation stated.
Local authorities are still investigating the accident. Mountain rescues are inherently dangerous, with skiers and climbers facing risks from unstable ice and snow conditions and falls from great heights.
While an expert's experience can mitigate some risks, the harsh and unpredictable mountain environment means even the most seasoned outdoor enthusiasts are not immune from tragic accidents like the one that claimed Pession and Arlian's lives.
