12-year-old Italian climbing phenom Tito Claudio Traversa passed away Friday after being hospitalized for injuries sustained in a 50-foot groundfall.
Traversa was warming up on a 5.10d sport climb in Orpierre, France, when the quickdraws failed and he fell. Nothing is confirmed, but . According to Grimper.com, the slings on the draws may have been incorrectly attached to the carabiners, leaving Traversa hanging by an elastic. The only correctly strung quickdraws were placed too low to stop his fall.
He was airlifted to a hospital in Grenoble where he died three days later.
Traversa climbed his first 5.14 at the age of 10. He had climbed his fourth 5.14a just two days before his accident.