The beautiful snow-capped peaks of Switzerland were marred by a tragic incident as rescue teams discovered the bodies of five skiers near the upscale Zermatt resort in the Valais Alps. The grim find was made after a group of climbers alerted emergency services about several pairs of unattended skis close to the summit of the challenging Rimpfischhorn peak, which stands at 4,199 meters.
Following aerial and ground searches, the local police confirmed that the bodies were located on the Adler Glacier, beneath the summit, at different elevations within avalanche debris near the Swiss-Italian border. Three bodies were found clustered together while two others were spotted higher on a narrow snow patch. Additionally, a fifth pair of skis was recovered, indicating that the group was indeed a party of five. The identities of the victims are still pending release.
An investigation has been initiated by the public prosecutor's office to assess the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event. Zermatt is popular among affluent skiers but the climb to Rimpfischhorn is classed as a more advanced expedition, typically demanding around five hours of rigorous climbing and an overnight stay in a high hut.
Meanwhile, a separate incident unfolded on Friday when Air Zermatt was summoned for a challenging mountain rescue on the Fiescherhörner, where four climbers had become stranded due to fog and strong winds. Although the initial evacuation attempt was postponed, efforts resumed after midnight, successfully bringing all four alpinists to safety.
Following aerial and ground searches, the local police confirmed that the bodies were located on the Adler Glacier, beneath the summit, at different elevations within avalanche debris near the Swiss-Italian border. Three bodies were found clustered together while two others were spotted higher on a narrow snow patch. Additionally, a fifth pair of skis was recovered, indicating that the group was indeed a party of five. The identities of the victims are still pending release.
An investigation has been initiated by the public prosecutor's office to assess the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event. Zermatt is popular among affluent skiers but the climb to Rimpfischhorn is classed as a more advanced expedition, typically demanding around five hours of rigorous climbing and an overnight stay in a high hut.
Meanwhile, a separate incident unfolded on Friday when Air Zermatt was summoned for a challenging mountain rescue on the Fiescherhörner, where four climbers had become stranded due to fog and strong winds. Although the initial evacuation attempt was postponed, efforts resumed after midnight, successfully bringing all four alpinists to safety.
