Fatal Swiss ski touring accidents reach five-year peak
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Fatal Swiss ski touring accidents reach five-year peak
The 28 fatal accidents on Swiss ski tours last winter was the highest number of deaths in five years.
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The number of emergencies in the Swiss Alps also rose slightly according to the mountain emergency statistics of the Swiss Alpine Club.
The winter of 2023/24 was characterised by an above-average amount of snow at higher altitudes, while lower regions remained snow-poor due to the warm weather.
The better snow conditions than in the previous year led to increased activity in snow sports, which was reflected in the number of emergencies, the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) reported on Thursday. Ski tourers and off-piste skiers were particularly affected.
A total of 3,570 people found themselves in an emergency situation in the Swiss mountains last year, SAC reported. Although the number was slightly higher than the previous year, it was also slightly lower than the figures for 2021 and 2022.
In mountain sports in the narrower sense, a total of 111 people lost their lives in 93 accidents, according to the report. The proportion of foreign casualties fell compared to the previous year, but was still high at almost 50%.
Last summer, 36 people also lost their lives while hiking in the mountains. According to SAC, this was the lowest number in ten years. However, mountain hikers and climbers had to be rescued more frequently due to blockages or exhaustion.
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Majority of fatal ski accidents happen off-piste
Translated from German by DeepL/mga
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