The identity of a skier who perished in the Alps in the 1950s has finally been established, after officials turned to social media to solve the mystery.
Human remains were found on a peak in the Aosta region of Italy, a popular ski destination near the Swiss border, in 2005.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A coin minted between 1946 and 1950 found on his person put the date of his death at sometime in the 1950s, and the make of his clothing and watch suggested that the dead man was French.
However, despite the clues, his identity remained a mystery for 13 years. Finally, last month, Italian authorities took their search to social media.
On 28 June, Agente LISA, the official Facebook page of the Italian police, posted an appeal for anyone who might be able to help put a name to the dead man.
The post was shared more than 600 times, and ultimately seen by nearly 40,000 people.
“Thanks to you and your many shares, and the virality of social media, we were able to reach a French radio station”, the Italian police explained in a follow-up post.
It was here, in the offline world, that the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Parisian Emma Nassem was listening to the radio in her car when a report on the unorthodox search triggered thoughts of her uncle, Henri Le Masne.
Le Masne, an “independent” bachelor from Normandy who worked for the French ministry of finance, disappeared while skiing in adverse weather conditions on 26 March 1954, the day he turned 35.
Nassem made her way to the Agente LISA post, where she commented: “Who do I contact? I think I know this person.”
A DNA sample provided by Nassem’s father, Roger, confirmed that the remains were those of Henri Le Masne.
Roger, now 94, was “very moved” to have finally solved the 64-year-long mystery of what happened to his older brother, Le Figaro reports.
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
-
American universities are losing ground to their foreign counterpartsThe Explainer While Harvard is still near the top, other colleges have slipped
-
How to navigate dating apps to find ‘the one’The Week Recommends Put an end to endless swiping and make real romantic connections
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
