The French Gendarmerie has strong evidence suggesting that the body uncovered this Sunday in the French Pyrenees belongs to one of the two mountaineers who vanished last December 7th near the peak of Rulhe, located in the Ariege department. The head of the Haute Montagne Rescue Team in Savignac-les-Ormeaux stated that the clues point towards the body found in the lower part of the north slope of Rulhe peak (2,800 meters) by a group of mountaineers, potentially being Esteve Carbonell, a 47-year-old resident of Gironella (Berguedà). Esteve disappeared while attempting to ascend the peak with his companion, Txell Fusté, a 52-year-old from Manresa. Official confirmation awaits the autopsy scheduled for next Wednesday in Toulouse.

After the discovery by a group of Spanish mountaineers, the authorities were alerted, and the gendarmes arrived to recover the body, which was partially covered in snow, and transported it to Toulouse. According to the French rescue team leader, who initially searched for the couple in December, there is an 80% likelihood based on the clothing and gear found with the body that it is Esteve. Moreover, an intensive search in the surrounding area commenced after the discovery to locate the other body, but adverse weather conditions forced a halt.

The chief rescuer emphasized their persistent efforts since the disappearance, including regular foot patrols and even helicopter searches last week. They are hopeful that the snow will melt swiftly, allowing them to recover the other body soon. Last Friday, Txell Fusté's family informed EL PAÍS that friends and relatives had begun ascending the area to locate the bodies, now that rising temperatures are causing the snow and ice to thaw.

Esteve and Txell arrived at the Rulhe peak refuge on Friday, December 6th, where they spent the night. Initially, there was no snow, but shortly after beginning their ascent on Saturday, they encountered a weather phenomenon known as torb, characterized by a sharp temperature drop, intense snow, and wind gusts that lift snow into whirlwinds. Experts note that this phenomenon peaked between noon and 3:00 to 4:00 PM, dropping temperatures to between -10 and -15°C, with wind speeds exceeding 100 km/h, creating a wind chill of -15°C to -20°C, leading to potential hypothermia within 20 minutes.

Despite extensive search efforts by both the gendarmes and Andorra's fire brigade, no success was achieved due to the area's lack of cellphone coverage. Additionally, the RECCO system, an electronic victim location device designed to detect individuals buried under snow, failed to yield results due to the mountain's characteristics. A Swiss repeater system carried by the Andorran firefighters' helicopter, intended to provide mobile coverage for locating the missing individuals, also proved ineffective.

French rescuers were able to trace the route Esteve and Txell took through the signals emitted by their mobile phones while operational, thoroughly checking all shelters, cabins, and caves in the area, but found no trace of them.