Mystery of the two frozen mummified corpses found on dormant volcano

A search party looking for what was believed to be a frozen body on Mexico"s highest mountain instead came across two mummified corpses.

Climbers reported seeing a frozen skull in the snow just 1,000 feet from the peak of the 5,610-metre Pico de Orizaba.

But when the 12 local civil protection mountaineers climbed to the top of mountain they made a second gruesome discovery.

The second body was just 500 feet away, and was also frozen and mummified, according to Juan Navarro, mayor of the town of Chalchicomula de Sesma.

It is believed the corpses are those of climbers missing for more than half a century (Picture: Hilario Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images)

It is believed the bodies are from a party of three climbers who went missing 55 years ago.

But since the news emerged the authorities have received calls from Spain and Germany from relatives of other climbers who perished climbing the mountain.

However, their identities will not be known until the bodies can be removed from the mountainside.

The mummies have yet to be identified (Picture:EPA/Hilario Aguilar Aguilar)

Rescue efforts have so far been hampered by the weather.

The bodies are due to be taken to the Puebla state prosecutor"s office to undergo DNA identification tests.

Pieces of clothing found on both bodies could help identify them, Navarro said.

‘It was impossible to conduct the rescue this time. Fog prevented the work," Navarro said, adding that only two of the climbers were able to reach the location of the bodies.