A French skier who disappeared in the Italian Alps more than 60 years ago has finally been identified thanks to social media.
Spectacles, human remains and ski equipment were found on the Matterhorn in 2005, but the identity of the individual to whom they belonged to was to remain unknown for a further 12 years.
Initial investigations revealed the skier was likely to have been aged between 30-35 years old, and that owing to his lightweight clothes, he died in spring.
With the picture still frustratingly incomplete, Italian police shared their findings on Facebook and Twitter, appealing for any information relating to whom the mystery person might be.
The story was eventually picked up by the French media, leading to the niece and younger brother of one Henri Le Masne coming forward this year. The family was able to provide evidence that the items had belonged to Le Masne, who went missing during a holiday in the Alps on his 35 birthday in 1954.
An avid hiker and skier, Le Masne is thought to have been caught in a storm and perished on the mountain, at 3,100 metres above sea level by the Swiss border.
His brother Roger Le Masne, 95, told The Times: “We had become accustomed to the idea that we would never know what happened. But I am very pleased that his body has been found.”
DNA tests have confirmed civil servant Le Masne’s identity.
