Swiss rescuers brave harsh weather to save two rope teams

Valais rescuers rescue two rope teams in adverse weather conditions Keystone-SDA

The rescue organisation in canton Valais and Air Zermatt rescued two blocked rope teams from mountains in the Saas Valley on Saturday in adverse weather conditions. The operation was a complex one. One of the rope teams had to descend from the Lagginhorn at night under great strain.

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Shortly after 6 ppm, the rescuers were deployed to a four-person rope team blocked on the south ridge of the Lagginhorn, as the cantonal Valais rescue organisation (KWRO) and the helicopter company announced on Sunday. Rescue by helicopter was not possible due to a snowstorm and fog.

According to Air Zermatt, the rescue coordination organisation asked the climbers to ascend to the summit and descend via the normal route. In the prevailing conditions, this was easier than the descent via the technically more difficult south ridge.

Rescue at night and in fog

Despite the storm, snowfall and thick fog, a helicopter initially dropped two rescue specialists at an altitude of 3,200 metres. They tackled the ascent in icy temperatures. Additional helicopter flights brought four more rescuers with additional equipment to the site.

These also climbed towards the summit. According to the helicopter company, they reached their limits. Shortly before the summit, the rescue experts thought about abandoning the mission. Finally, at around 9 pm, specialists met the four alpinists from the rope team at an altitude of over 4,000 metres above sea level.

Together they descended for four hours in the night and snowfall towards the Weissmieshütte. A helicopter flew two of the alpinists to hospital in Visp. As the weather deteriorated again, Air Zermatt was only able to fly everyone down to the valley at first light and in better weather.

Lost on the Weissmies

The Valais mountain rescuers received a separate emergency call on Saturday afternoon. A two-man rope team had lost their way in the adverse weather on the descent from Weissmies and were unable to continue.

Air Zermatt dropped off two KWRO specialists at 3,200 metres above sea level. They rescued the alpinists in an operation lasting several hours and finally handed them over to a helicopter crew.

Adapted from German by DeepL/jdp

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