The bodies of 80 soldiers who died in World War I have been found in melting ice in the Alps, with some perfectly preserved for nearly a century, GIZMODO.com reported on Monday.

The soldiers died in a battle between Italy and Austria beginning on September 3, 1918, which claimed countless soldiers' lives.

The battle took place 12,000 feet above sea level, the highest fight in history.

According to the report, some of the soldiers' belongings started to flow down from the mountain a few decades ago, including still-legible love letters and poems which were never sent.

Battle, natural catastrophes and the low temperature were the most common causes of the deaths. Although DNA can be extracted, difficulties exist in locating the current whereabouts of the soldiers' families.

Global Times