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Five ski tourers died in a tragic accident in the Alps
Five ski tourers died on the Rimpfischhorn in Zermatt. An investigation has been launched to clarify the accident.
Five ski tourers died in a tragic accident in the Alps
Five ski tourers died in a tragic accident on the Rimpfischhorn in the Zermatt region of Switzerland. The accident occurred at an altitude of around 4,000 meters while the group was on a challenging path towards the summit. The tour started at the Britanniahütte and led over the Adler Glacier.
On Saturday afternoon, at around 4:30 p.m., two alpinists alerted rescue workers after finding abandoned skis near a depot. This discovery made them worried as they could not find the owner of the skis on the route. As a result, an Air Zermatt helicopter with a paramedic, an emergency doctor and two rescue specialists from KWRO were called in to investigate the situation and search for other ski tourers.
Finds by rescue workers
The helicopter crew quickly spotted the first three alpinists on an avalanche cone, about 500 meters below the saddle. During the further search for missing people, two more bodies were found around 200 meters above sea level on a small area of snow. Tragically, all five fallen tourers were confirmed dead.
The bodies were recovered from the mountain. The Valais cantonal police announced that they would now be thoroughly investigated to find out more about the circumstances of the accident.
Investigations and further accidents
The Valais public prosecutor's office has already launched an investigation to clarify the exact circumstances of the accident. Due to the desolate situation, there are currently no eyewitnesses who could shed light on the matter. Therefore, it remains unclear how this unfortunate incident could have occurred. The identification of the victims had not yet been completed on Sunday afternoon (May 25), which further complicates the situation.
Just recently, another avalanche accident in Switzerland claimed two lives and injured several people, which once again brought the dangers for ski tourers in the Alps into public awareness. The Zermatt region, known for its breathtaking landscapes and challenging routes, is now facing a number of questions about safety for mountain tours.