Six die in Swiss mountains over weekend

Five ski tourers found dead in the Valais Alps Keystone-SDA

Five ski tourers were found dead on the Rimpfischhorn in the Valais Alps on Saturday afternoon. Two alpinists informed the rescue services after noticing abandoned skis below the mountain at an altitude of around 4,000 metres.

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An flyover of the area and a search on the ground led to the localisation of five lifeless bodies on the Adler Glacier, the Valais police announced on Sunday.

The abandoned skis were located above the saddle, where a ski depot is usually set up. Around 500 metres below the saddle, the crew of the rescue helicopter discovered three alpinists on an avalanche cone, according to Air Zermatt. The emergency doctor was only able to determine their death.

The two other ski tourers were discovered 200 metres further up on a small area of snow. Here too, the emergency doctor was only able to determine their deaths.

+ Mountain accidents in Switzerland: the figures

Morgenhorn avalanche

Also this weekend three men were buried in an avalanche on the Morgenhorn in Kandersteg, canton Bern, on Saturday afternoon. Two men were flown to hospital with minor injuries. A 29-year-old Swiss man could only be rescued lifeless, according to the police.

The police were informed of the avalanche shortly after 1.45pm, as was reported on Sunday. According to the information available on Sunday afternoon, a group of three people and a single person were on a ski tour on the ascent to the Morgenhornspitze when a snow slab broke loose.

Three people were swept away by the avalanche, two men from the group of three and the individual. The emergency services immediately dispatched were able to rescue the partially buried people, while one man was found lifeless, according to reports. The deceased was a 29-year-old Swiss citizen residing in canton Bern.

The cantonal police of Bern began an investigation under the direction of the public prosecutor’s office.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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