Swiss police launch search operation and a big rescue in the Alps after six skiers went missing near the top of the Matterhorn.
Six skiers set off from Zermatt. It is home to the famous Matterhorn peak. on Saturday for a ski tour in Arolla Village Located on the border of Switzerland and Italy, however, they all disappeared near the 3,706 meter high peak of Tate Blanche.
Local police said all rescue teams available on both sides of the route had been alerted. But bad weather is hampering search operations. Because there have been strong winds in the Alps for several days, and in the past 24 hours there has been heavy snowfall in the village of Sarsfi. It is a winter resort next to Zermatt. As a result, the city is now cut off from the outside world.
Anjan Truffer, head of Zermatt’s air rescue service, said the weather was so bad that “Aviation is not possible” with strong winds, heavy snow and avalanche danger. and visibility was zero. Truffer said he believed the six people, whose identities and nationalities have not been disclosed, Probably facing bad weather. It wasn’t an avalanche. Because they were lost on part of the route between Zermatt and Arolla. which has a low risk of avalanches
Skiers generally follow established alpine routes. and that locators and shovels should be deployed in the event of an avalanche. Truffer said the last signal from the group was recorded non-verbally. But allow the rescue team to have a rough idea. about their location
The route from Zermatt to Arolla is part of the “Haute Route”, a famous 120 km ski route from Zermatt to Chamonix. Even though it is very popular But it is suitable for experienced skiers. And it may take several days.
Rescuers say there is a chance the missing skier may survive. Even though the temperature was -16 degrees Celsius and the winds were up to 80 km/h, if they could dig a hole in the snow, The hope now is that the weather will clear so that rescue helicopters can fly.
#skiers #missing #Swiss #Alps
2024-03-11 01:11:47
