Rescue choppers busy over Alps
Blue skies, excellent snow conditions and big crowds across the Swiss Alps combined to keep rescue authorities busy over the Easter weekend.
Switzerland’s helicopter rescue services recorded one of their busiest weekends this year – flying over 300 missions between Easter Friday and Monday.
The Swiss Air-Rescue service (Rega) said it flew nearly 200 rescues, mostly for people engaged in winter sports such as skiing, ski touring and mountaineering.
Rega said at least 80 people were flown out of the mountains in need of medical assistance, while traffic accidents accounted for a further 20 flights.
Half a dozen incidents involved motorcyclists.
Climbing deaths
At least four people died during the four-day holiday while climbing in the Alps – two of those after falling from the Eiger North Wall, one of Europe’s most dramatic climbs. Another died near Zermatt. The location of the fourth fatality wasn’t yet available.
Switzerland’s other airborne rescue services – Air-Zermatt and Air-Glacier flew 48 and 47 rescue flights respectively.
swissinfo with agencies
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.