Parson Walther, Brandstätter Anita, Niederstätter Harald, Grubwieser Petra, Scheithauer Richard
Institute of Legal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Int J Legal Med. 2007 Jul;121(4):309-10. doi: 10.1007/s00414-006-0098-6. Epub 2006 May 4.
Since the disappearance of Günther Messner, brother of the world-famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner, on an expedition to Nanga Parbat in 1970, the circumstances of his death have given rise to controversy. Reinhold Messner claimed that he and Günther descended the Diamir face together when an avalanche killed his brother, while other expedition members argued that Günther was abandoned by Reinhold to descend the Rupal face. Now, 35 years after the event, Günther's remains have been found at the Diamir face and have been identified by forensic DNA fingerprinting. The location of the remains supports Messner's version, thus putting to rest one of the climbing communities' most publicised controversies.
