University professor mum-of-two Francesca Rossi dies in mountain horror fall in front of horrified brother

A former Southampton University professor and mum-of-two has died in a horror fall onto rocks in front of her horrified brother during a mountain hike.

Francesca Rossi, who moved back to Italy after graduating in London and then working in Southampton for five years, was enjoying a Sunday hike on Mount Legnone in Italy when she accidentally tripped and fell into the ravine on October 13.

The 45-year-old was descending via the Normale route, a path on the western side of Mount Legnone in a challenging and very exposed spot when she suffered the 200-metre fall. Her brother Stefano and another mountaineer who also came along on the climb witnessed the fall and alerted rescuers.

However, Francesca had landed on the rocks below, and despite the speedy intervention of medical services, she could not be saved. Paramedics declared her dead at the scene as a result of the severe injuries she sustained in the fall.

Stefano, suffering with shock, had to be helped off the mountain.

Francesca's body has been transported to Milan, and from there, on to her hometown of Tirano, for her burial on Wednesday (October 16).

Francesca, a full-time professor of Econometrics at the University of Verona, had earned her PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics in 2011. After spending five years at the Department of Economics at the University of Southampton as an Assistant Professor, she joined the University of Verona in 2016 as a researcher.

She leaves behind her husband Antonio and children Giorgio and Clara.

Story: NewsX