Alexandra Gheorghe, a 36-year-old Romanian mountaineer based in Italy, and her climbing partner died after falling from a mountain during an ascent in the Monte Rosa Massif in the Italian Alps. According to investigators, the tragedy was not caused by bad weather, as initially believed, but by a fatal error.
The report on the accident in which mountaineer Alexandra Gheorghe and her climbing partner, 34-year-old Marco Stagi from Pisa, died on August 13 was compiled by the Cervinia Mountain Rescue Station and transmitted to the deputy prosecutor of the city of Aosta on Saturday.
The document confirms that it was not difficult weather conditions, but a fatal mistake that caused the mountaineer's death, as reported by Il Gazzettino.
What Happened on the Ridge
The report reconstructs what happened on the Castore ridge, a mountain in the Monte Rosa massif, on August 13, around 8:00 in the morning, when the two climbers slipped approximately 100 meters and died.
Initially, it was believed that the climbers fell 300 meters after slipping from a glacier, and the accident was caused by bad weather. However, according to investigators, the cause of the fatal accident was not the worsening weather, which occurred after the accident had already taken place, but the fact that the climbers followed the wrong route. Visibility was indeed poor due to the clouds enveloping the mountain ridge, but not to the extent of preventing two experienced climbers from identifying the correct route, as stated in the document.
The GPS signal from Alexandra's equipment detailed what happened on the ridge. The two climbers set out Wednesday morning after spending the previous night at the Quintino Sella refuge. They were heading east-west towards Cima Castore, on a difficult section. Then, they had to descend to climb Polluce (its twin peak) and then descend back towards Gressoney-La-Trinité.
For reasons that the investigators could not clarify, as there were no witnesses, Alexandra and Stagi passed the point on the ridge where they should have turned left and descended along the glacier.
As they failed to identify the point of route change, the two continued until they could no longer progress. At that moment, one of the climbers (it will never be known which one) lost balance and slipped into the valley, pulling the other down from a height of over 4,000 meters.
Who Raised the Alarm
Alexandra's boyfriend, police officer Andrea Pizzato, alerted the authorities in Padova after not hearing from her all Wednesday.
The officer's concern grew during the night: the woman was supposed to return home in the early hours of August 14. As Alexandra did not arrive home in the morning and he did not receive any news from her by phone, the man called Mountain Rescue, triggering the search operation.
The bodies of the two climbers were found shortly after 2:00 PM local time.
After consulting the accident report, the Aosta Prosecutor's Office signed the burial authorization, ordering the return of the remains to the families.
Alexandra's body will most likely be brought to Padova on Monday evening, while the funeral will take place in Agna, where the young woman's mother lives and where her family moved upon arriving in Italy from Romania.
The funeral service is expected to take place midweek, while a wake could be organized in Padova in memory of the young mountaineer, as reported by the publication.
Andrea Pizzato returned yesterday to Ponte di Brenta after spending two days in the Aosta Valley following the discovery of Alexandra's body on Thursday afternoon. "She lived life to the fullest and conveyed this zest for life to everyone she knew. A sun born within you, so much energy. I was lucky to have her by my side, and now I feel lost," he confessed.
Who Was Alexandra
Alexandra's life was driven by curiosity and the desire to challenge herself. Sports, nature, and exploration were the three threads weaving her story, always fueled by an energy that seemed endless, writes Corriere del Veneto.
The young woman began exploring the mountains about ten years ago, but had only recently turned her focus to glaciers, fascinated by an environment as spectacular as it was complex. To confront it, she decided to train, taking courses and outings with expert climbers, aware of the risks but also of the beauty of that world of ice and rock.
Born in Romania, Alexandra came to Italy in her childhood with her family. Her father chose to move after the 1989 revolution, eager to offer his children new opportunities and a life built on solid foundations. Raised in Agna, she shared her home with her parents and brother until her father's death a few years ago.
Alexandra graduated in Computer Engineering from the University of Padova and continued her studies with a master's degree in Udine. Then, one important company to another: first in the IT sector, then she worked for a long time at Vodafone and, finally, for almost four years, she held an important role at Gosp, a company of the Generali Group. Her work often took her to Milan, although she remained connected to the Veneto region, where she first lived in Campodarsego and then in Ponte di Brenta.
Mountain running held a special place in her life, progressing to challenging competitions like the 70-kilometer mountain ultramarathon. Over time, she combined running with her passion for mountaineering, joining mountaineering clubs.
Travel, another great passion of the young woman, was also a constant. Alexandra often organized expeditions with the WeRoad platform, leading groups around the world. She had visited Vietnam, Jordan, and Iceland and carried vivid memories of those experiences with her.
Alexandra's death has saddened the community she was part of and the world of mountaineering.
"We are saddened and deeply moved by her family and those who loved her. Alexandra died during her free time, while pursuing one of her greatest passions: mountaineering," conveyed Alessandro Menato, president of Galzignano Trail Friends.
"Alexandra was always a cheerful girl, enthusiastic in everything she did, and through her courses and the high mountains, she discovered a new passion, still in full bloom. (…) sincere condolences to her family, her partner, her friends, classmates, and instructors. Goodbye, Alexandra," is the farewell message posted on Facebook by the mountaineering club in Padova.