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GENEVA: As snow and ice melt on Swiss glaciers, the remains of a mountaineer who had been missing for more than 50 years have been uncovered.

The British man had been formally identified, police in the district of Valais said on Thursday. Two mountaineers discovered the bones on Aug 3 on the Chessjen glacier near Saas Fee. Forensic experts examined them in the Valais hospital, reported German news agency (dpa).

Based on the analyses, the police were able to narrow down the number of possible missing person reports. With the help of the British police, a relative was found. A DNA analysis confirmed that it was the man who had been reported missing in July 1971. At that time, the search for him had been unsuccessful.

According to the district police, they keep a list with the names of all mountaineers reported missing since 1925. 

"The retreat of the glaciers is increasingly bringing to light missing mountaineers who were reported missing several decades ago," it said.