The German-language magazine Beobachter has awarded its Prix Courage to two Swiss climbers Ueli Steck and Simon Anthamatten for saving the life of a fellow climber.

The two men received SFr25,000 ($22.950) in recognition of their efforts to save two others in difficulty last May in the Annapurna peaks in Nepal.

The Romanian and Spanish climbers got into trouble at 7,400 metres. Thanks to the intervention of the two Swiss, the Romanian was able to make it off the mountain alive. Help arrived too late for his companion.

The Prix Courage jury emphasised the exceptional courage of the Swiss climbers "who did not hesitate to put themselves in danger to save these lives".

Steck and Anthamatten had to give up on their ambitious goal to conquer the south face of Annapurna I.

The public's prize of SFr10,000 went to clear favourite 50-year-old Monika Schmid, a well-known pastor and outspoken critic of the Catholic Church's record on child sexual abuse.

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