Matterhorn human remains identified as two climbers missing for 45 years
Human remains found at the foot of Switzerland's Matterhorn glacier have been identified as two Japanese climbers who went missing 45 years ago.
The remains were discovered at an altitude of 9,200ft last September.
See also: British climber's body found 34 years after doomed Matterhorn attempt
DNA tests have now shown the bones belonged to Michio Oikawa and Masayuki Kobayashi, who were just 22 and 21 respectively when they died.
The pair disappeared in a snowstorm, and search and rescue attempts at the time failed to find them.
The Japanese consulate in Geneva assisted police in tracking down family members to help compare their DNA profiles.
According to the Mirror, a Swiss police spokesman said: "Research undertaken by cantonal police in cooperation with Japan's consulate in Geneva led to finding members of their families in Japan.
"DNA comparisons proved that they were the remains of the two missing Japanese climbers."
The BBC reports that as Alpine glaciers melt as a result of climate change, more long-lost bodies are emerging.
In 2013, a mountain rescue pilot discovered the remains of British climber Jonathan Conville, who had been missing since 1979, near the peak of the Matterhorn.
And, in 2014, the body of a Czech climber who disappeared 40 years ago was found on the Bernese Alps.
The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy.
It is a huge pyramid-shaped peak in the Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe.
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