Switzerland Eiger Rescue Operation, 1957 (b/w photo)

The rescue operation for four stranded alpine climbers in the Eiger's northern face is delayed by bad weather conditions, pictured in August 1957. Pilot Hermann Geiger, right, and rescue team leader of Grindelwald, Willi Balmer, center, discuss the situation on the airport Interlaken, Switzerland. The two Italian alpine climbers Stephano Longhi and Claudio Corti entered the Eiger's northern face, went on the wrong route and thereby got into extreme troubles. They had to rappel, found the original route and the German alpine climbers Guenther Nothdurft and Franz Mayer. The four decided to climb together. However, they slowly progressed. Nothdurft and Mayer advanced to the peak despite weakness on August 8, 1957 and were catched up by Corti on their way. Longhi chased them, felt and could not be recovered. Corti lowered him on a rock track and climbed on with the two Germans. As Corti was injured by a rockfall, Mayer and Nothdurft left him behind. They reached the peak with the last of their strength, but died during the climb-down due to fatigue, exhaustion and undercooling. Their bodies were found and recovered in September 1961. Stranded Corti was rescued in a massive and one of the greatest operations ever with mountain guides from five nations on August 11, 1957. It was the first succussful rescue in the Eiger's northern face. Longhi died shortly before his rescue and could not be recovered. His body hung in the northern face until July 1959.