A mountain trip turned deadly when a mountain climber and Audi executive ended up falling more than 10,000 feet. The businessman died from the impact.
According to the New York Post, the incident happened near the Italian-Swiss border. The Audi executive was a passionate climber, who loved the sport. It's tragic that he ended up passing away from doing something that he loved. But it's very difficult if not impossible to survive falling from such a high distance.
Authorities confirm that Fabrizio Longo passed away. The 62-year-old was the person behind Audi's Italy-based operations. Audi is a luxury car manufacturer based out of Germany. He was in the middle of climbing in the Adamello mountains in northern Italy when the accident occurred. As Longo neared the summit of the mountain, he slipped and fell off the edge.
Another climber reportedly saw the Audi executive take the fall off the mountain. They immediately radio the incident in and call for help. Sadly, there was no help for Longo. A helicopter recuse team found his remains inside of a gorge on the mountain. They announced he was dead and later transported his remains to the nearby Italian town of Carisolo.
Audi Bos Dies
How does an expert mountain climber fall to their deaths? That's what authorities want to know as well. They've launched an investigation into the incident. Preliminary details tell us the Audi executive climbed with use of fixed cables as well as other aids like ladders.
The Audi family is obviously hurting. Longo has been a staple at the top of the car company's Italian operations since 2013. He's also been a mainstay in the automotive industry since 1987. He got his start with Italian carmaker Fiat before joining Lancia. Outside of mountain climbing, he was also an avid skiier.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation mourned his deather. They called it "a terrible loss for the federation that has collaborated fruitfully with Longo for years." They also added, "We join the family in this moment of great pain, and with the staff of Audi Italia."
We'll update you with more info as it becomes available.
