The bodies of five skiers were found by rescuers near the Swiss luxury resort of Zermatt the day before, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
They were discovered the day after a group of climbers ascending the Rimpfischhorn - a 4,199-meter peak in the Valais Alps - reported to emergency services several pairs of skis left unattended near the summit.
Aerial and ground searches led to the discovery of bodies below the summit on the Adler Glacier, local Valais police said in a statement on Sunday.
The victims were found at different altitudes in avalanche debris in high-mountain areas near the Swiss-Italian border.
Three bodies were found in one area, and two more were found higher up on a narrow stretch of snow, the Air Zermatt rescue service said.
The fifth pair of skis was later found during the search, confirming that the group was traveling as a group of five. Their identities have not yet been officially released.
The prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
In a separate incident on Friday evening, Air Zermatt was also involved in a complex mountain rescue operation on the Fiescherhorner, where four climbers found themselves in distress due to fog and strong winds.
The first evacuation attempt had to be canceled due to weather conditions, but a second attempt just after midnight allowed all four to be safe.
Addendum
Zermatt is one of Switzerland's most prestigious ski resorts, frequented by wealthy British and other European skiers. But climbing the Rimpfischhorn is considered a more challenging expedition, about a five-hour drive from the resort.
There are several approaches to the ascent, all of which require overnight stays in a high-altitude hut. From Zermatt, they usually ascend by lifts to Blauherd at an altitude of 2,570 meters.
Five skiers found dead in the Swiss Alps11.03.24, 09:00 • [views_27558]