Hiking in the mountains claimed the most lives.
Keystone / Anthony Anex
Fatal mountain accidents decreased by almost 15% last year compared to 2018.
This content was published on
1 minute
SDA-Keystone/ac
The number dropped from 207 to 177 cases, according to figures released by the Swiss Alpine ClubExternal link on Monday.
Of the 177 fatal cases, 120 people died while practising mountain sports, 11% fewer than in 2018. Hiking in the mountains claimed the most lives (54), followed by ski touring with 27 cases.
Falls and slips were the main causes of accidents, accounting for 85 fatalities. Avalanches follow closely with 21 fatalities. The vast majority of victims (92) were men.
In terms of risky pursuits off-piste skiing, hunting, canyoning, snowshoe hiking and base jumping saw an increase in the number of fatal cases. Paragliding, mountain biking and via ferrata hiking fatalities decreased, according to the Swiss Alpine Club.
While the weather and mountain conditions were very similar in 2018 and 2019, the summer heat waves were shorter and drought conditions were less pronounced last year. This resulted in a slight decrease in the number of people heading to the mountains compared to 2018.
More
More
What you need to know about hiking in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland is perfect for hikers. With 65,000km of marked hiking trails, there are routes for every ability level.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
ETH Zurich remains best university in continental Europe
This content was published on
Swiss universities have once again fallen slightly behind in international comparison. In the annual university rankings, they recorded slightly more losses than gains overall. However, three Swiss universities are among the 100 best in Europe.
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.
Read more
More
This profession calls for you to put your life at risk
This content was published on
When a fatal accident happens in the mountains, many question the judgement of the guide. swissinfo.ch speaks to one about how to keep safe.
Nearly 30 people per day rescued in air operations
This content was published on
The demand for emergency air lifts is on the rise, says Swiss air rescue service Rega. In 2017, it operated 12,660 flights – a 6.5% increase on 2016.
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.