Zermatt is famed for its views of the Matterhorn. Photo: Andrew Masters // Unsplash
The bodies of Five skiers were found near a luxury Swiss resort. The finding concluded an extensive rescue effort by land and air, triggered by a pair of hikers discovering abandoned equipment on a trail.
The incident occurred Sunday, near the Swiss resort town of Zermatt. The location is popular among mountaineers and skiers, for both its trails and scenic vistas. In particular, Zermatt is famous for its views of the Matterhorn.
Authorities realized something was amiss when two hikers reported seeing a set of abandoned skis, according to Associated Press. The equipment was spotted in near the Rimpfischhorn, a mountain in the Valais Alps, east of Zermatt. This kicked off a search by land and air, with Valais cantonal police eventually finding five bodies on the Adler glacier. The Guardian reports that Swiss helicopter service Air Zermatt said its rescuers found three bodies on an avalanche cone, followed by two more in a small patch of snow roughly 650 feet above them.
A formal investigation has been initiated as to the cause of the accident, but no details have released as of yet. The names and nationalities of the victims have not also yet been released.
