A Swiss couple who disappeared from their farm in the Alps during World War II have finally been found, 75 years later, mummified in a glacier.
Marcelin, 40, and Francine, 37, Dumoulin went missing on August 15, 1942, after leaving to milk their cows in a meadow near their home. They never returned to their family, including their six children.
A worker found the frozen bodies of a man and a woman last week during routine maintenance. The corpses were preserved in the receding Tsanfleuron glacier, near a slew of trendy ski resorts at 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level.
When he got closer, he noticed a collection of frozen accessories -- backpacks, watches, mess kits, a glass bottle and boots -- all of which dated back several decades.
Decked in World War II-era clothing, the duo was frozen close together. Their bodies have since been airlifted from the Alps.
Missing Swiss couple found frozen in Alps after 75 years
By Zoha Qamar, CNN
Updated 10:31 AM ET, Wed July 19, 2017
Couple found frozen after 75 years
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RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY CREDIT OF THE ARTIST, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTIONS
The Nefertiti bust is pictured during a press preview of the exhibition 'In The Light Of Amarna' to mark the 100 years of the Nefertiti bust discovery at the Neues Museum (New Museum) in Berlin, on December 5, 2012. The exhibition runs from December 6, 2012 to April 13, 2012. AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL SOHN (Photo credit should read MICHAEL SOHN/AFP/Getty Images)
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A newly discovered jawbone fossil could come from a previously unknown species of ancient human who lived tens of thousands of years ago.
Did fisherman discover fourth prehistoric human?
mysterious giant ocean blob squid mass orig_00004001.jpg
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Marceline and Francine went missing from their Swiss farm 1942
See where missing frozen couple were found
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A picture taken on March 14, 2016 shows a 24 karat gold coin that was minted in Rome in 107 CE and bears the portrait of the emperor "Augustus Deified" after it was found by an Israeli hiker the previous week in the eastern Galilee before being handed to the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem.
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Story highlights
In 1942, the couple never returned from milking their cows in a meadow near their home
Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin left behind six children
(CNN)A Swiss couple who disappeared from their farm in the Alps during World War II have finally been found, 75 years later, mummified in a glacier.
Marcelin, 40, and Francine, 37, Dumoulin went missing on August 15, 1942, after leaving to milk their cows in a meadow near their home. They never returned to their family, including their six children.
A worker found the frozen bodies of a man and a woman last week during routine maintenance. The corpses were preserved in the receding Tsanfleuron glacier, near a slew of trendy ski resorts at 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level.
"From afar, it looked like small rocks, but there were too many in the same place," noted nearby Glacier 3000 resort director Bernhard Tschannen in an interview with Radio Television Swisse.
Francine (left) and Marcelin Dumoulin went missing from their Swiss farm in 1942.
Francine (left) and Marcelin Dumoulin went missing from their Swiss farm in 1942.
When he got closer, he noticed a collection of frozen accessories -- backpacks, watches, mess kits, a glass bottle and boots -- all of which dated back several decades.
Decked in World War II-era clothing, the duo was frozen close together. Their bodies have since been airlifted from the Alps.
An inspector examines the belongings found alongside the couple.
An inspector examines the belongings found alongside the couple.
The couple's youngest daughter, 79-year-old Marceline Udry-Dumoulin, told Swiss paper Le Matin their children had never stopped looking for them.
"We spent our whole lives looking for them, without stopping. We thought that we could give them the funeral they deserved one day," she said.
Another daughter, Monique Gautschy-Dumoulin, told Radio Television Swisse (RTS) her parents were walking to the valley the morning of their disappearance. It was a nice day, she says. Her father was singing.
couple found frozen in Alps after 75 years
By Zoha Qamar, CNN
Updated 10:31 AM ET, Wed July 19, 2017
Couple found frozen after 75 years
mammoth skeleton Michigan farmer orig vstan_00000000.jpg
Farmer uncovers 11,000-year-old mammoth
biofluorescent turtle discovered glowing reptile solomin islands orig_00013907.jpg
Glowing sea turtle lights up the ocean
Polar dinosaur species discovered in Alaska
Uprooted tree reveals 1,000-year-old skeleton
ancient sea scorpion discovered orig mss_00003912.jpg
Giant prehistoric scorpion discovered
RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY CREDIT OF THE ARTIST, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTIONS
The Nefertiti bust is pictured during a press preview of the exhibition 'In The Light Of Amarna' to mark the 100 years of the Nefertiti bust discovery at the Neues Museum (New Museum) in Berlin, on December 5, 2012. The exhibition runs from December 6, 2012 to April 13, 2012. AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL SOHN (Photo credit should read MICHAEL SOHN/AFP/Getty Images)
Queen Nefertiti's resting place discovered?
Gath Goliath archaeology Orig_00005917.jpg
Goliath gates discovered?
A newly discovered jawbone fossil could come from a previously unknown species of ancient human who lived tens of thousands of years ago.
Did fisherman discover fourth prehistoric human?
mysterious giant ocean blob squid mass orig_00004001.jpg
Mysterious giant ocean 'blob' discovered
Marceline and Francine went missing from their Swiss farm 1942
See where missing frozen couple were found
3,000-year-old Philistine cemetery discovered
vikings site space satellite north america orig jnd vstop_00003920.jpg
Potential Vikings site found in North America
time capsule confederate monument pkg_00000000.jpg
Time capsule found in Confederate monument
coral fossil university of iowa pkg _00000426.jpg
Construction crew uncovers 385-million-year-old fossils
Ghostly octopod casper discovery orig vstop dlewis_00000000.jpg
Unknown 'ghostly' octopod discovered
Divers excavate a wreck site off the coast of Oman
Vasco da Gama's Esmeralda believed to have been found
A picture taken on March 14, 2016 shows a 24 karat gold coin that was minted in Rome in 107 CE and bears the portrait of the emperor "Augustus Deified" after it was found by an Israeli hiker the previous week in the eastern Galilee before being handed to the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem.
Hiker finds rare gold coin in Israel
mammoth skeleton Michigan farmer orig vstan_00000000.jpg
Farmer uncovers 11,000-year-old mammoth
biofluorescent turtle discovered glowing reptile solomin islands orig_00013907.jpg
Glowing sea turtle lights up the ocean
Polar dinosaur species discovered in Alaska
Uprooted tree reveals 1,000-year-old skeleton
ancient sea scorpion discovered orig mss_00003912.jpg
Giant prehistoric scorpion discovered
RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY CREDIT OF THE ARTIST, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTIONS
The Nefertiti bust is pictured during a press preview of the exhibition 'In The Light Of Amarna' to mark the 100 years of the Nefertiti bust discovery at the Neues Museum (New Museum) in Berlin, on December 5, 2012. The exhibition runs from December 6, 2012 to April 13, 2012. AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL SOHN (Photo credit should read MICHAEL SOHN/AFP/Getty Images)
Queen Nefertiti's resting place discovered?
Gath Goliath archaeology Orig_00005917.jpg
Goliath gates discovered?
A newly discovered jawbone fossil could come from a previously unknown species of ancient human who lived tens of thousands of years ago.
Did fisherman discover fourth prehistoric human?
mysterious giant ocean blob squid mass orig_00004001.jpg
Mysterious giant ocean 'blob' discovered
Marceline and Francine went missing from their Swiss farm 1942
See where missing frozen couple were found
3,000-year-old Philistine cemetery discovered
vikings site space satellite north america orig jnd vstop_00003920.jpg
Potential Vikings site found in North America
time capsule confederate monument pkg_00000000.jpg
Time capsule found in Confederate monument
coral fossil university of iowa pkg _00000426.jpg
Construction crew uncovers 385-million-year-old fossils
Ghostly octopod casper discovery orig vstop dlewis_00000000.jpg
Unknown 'ghostly' octopod discovered
Divers excavate a wreck site off the coast of Oman
Vasco da Gama's Esmeralda believed to have been found
A picture taken on March 14, 2016 shows a 24 karat gold coin that was minted in Rome in 107 CE and bears the portrait of the emperor "Augustus Deified" after it was found by an Israeli hiker the previous week in the eastern Galilee before being handed to the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem.
Hiker finds rare gold coin in Israel
mammoth skeleton Michigan farmer orig vstan_00000000.jpg
Farmer uncovers 11,000-year-old mammoth
Story highlights
In 1942, the couple never returned from milking their cows in a meadow near their home
Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin left behind six children
(CNN)A Swiss couple who disappeared from their farm in the Alps during World War II have finally been found, 75 years later, mummified in a glacier.
Marcelin, 40, and Francine, 37, Dumoulin went missing on August 15, 1942, after leaving to milk their cows in a meadow near their home. They never returned to their family, including their six children.
A worker found the frozen bodies of a man and a woman last week during routine maintenance. The corpses were preserved in the receding Tsanfleuron glacier, near a slew of trendy ski resorts at 2,600 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level.
"From afar, it looked like small rocks, but there were too many in the same place," noted nearby Glacier 3000 resort director Bernhard Tschannen in an interview with Radio Television Swisse.
Francine (left) and Marcelin Dumoulin went missing from their Swiss farm in 1942.
Francine (left) and Marcelin Dumoulin went missing from their Swiss farm in 1942.
When he got closer, he noticed a collection of frozen accessories -- backpacks, watches, mess kits, a glass bottle and boots -- all of which dated back several decades.
Decked in World War II-era clothing, the duo was frozen close together. Their bodies have since been airlifted from the Alps.
An inspector examines the belongings found alongside the couple.
An inspector examines the belongings found alongside the couple.
The couple's youngest daughter, 79-year-old Marceline Udry-Dumoulin, told Swiss paper Le Matin their children had never stopped looking for them.
"We spent our whole lives looking for them, without stopping. We thought that we could give them the funeral they deserved one day," she said.
Another daughter, Monique Gautschy-Dumoulin, told Radio Television Swisse (RTS) her parents were walking to the valley the morning of their disappearance. It was a nice day, she says. Her father was singing.
Francine Dumoulin (far right) went missing with her husband in 1942.
Francine Dumoulin (far right) went missing with her husband in 1942.
But that was the last Monique would see of her parents, whose disappearance left her to care for her young sisters and brothers.
Their mother, a schoolteacher, and father, a shoemaker, likely fell into a crevice of the glacier, where their bodies were preserved.
The Institute of Forensic Medicine will seek to formally identify the bodies, through DNA tests, but the couple's children are convinced they are their missing parents.
"I can say that after 75 years of waiting this news gives me a deep sense of calm," Udry-Dumoulin said. "Now, I know where my parents are."
http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/19/europe/swiss-alps-couple-frozen-75-years/index.html