In 2013, while climbing the highest mountain in the Alps, a Frenchman came across a metal box containing emeralds, rubies and sapphires. On his return to the village of Albertville, he handed the group over to the police, as French law required. Since the search for the rightful owner turned up nothing, the find has now been divided between the researcher and the local authorities.

It is unclear why the matter is settled only now. According to French law, it can take only two years to find the rightful owner. The researcher wishes to remain anonymous. The mayor of the municipality at the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, says he is “very pleased” with the climber’s “integrity”.

It is possible that the stones flew with a Boeing 777 that was supposed to fly from the Indian city of Mumbai to New York in 1966, but it crashed into the south side of the mountain. All 117 people on board were killed. In past decades, mountaineers have often found wrecks, baggage, and human remains from this trek. In 2012, India recovered a diplomatic mail bag from the French government that had been lost in the accident.

Also in 1950, an Indian plane crashed into the Mont Blanc block. 28 years later, the French mountain patrol found a bag of letters on this flight. Some of them were sent to the original addressee.