Five of the six Swiss skier who had been missing since yesterday Saturday in the Swiss Alps, at an altitude of 3,706 meters, were found deadannounced today the police in the canton of Valais (southwest), who are continuing the search to find the sixth.
Bad weather conditions had earlier complicated the search and rescue operation, police said in a statement: “A storm in the southern Alps and the risk of avalanches prevented helicopters and rescue columns from approaching the area,” police continued, adding that a team of five experienced rescuers attempted a land approach from Zermatt during the night, but had to abandon above 3,000 meters (9,843 ft) because of “very bad weather and the dangers involved.
Eventually a team of rescuers was finally able to move forward and “found the bodies of five of the six people who were missing,” according to a police statement.
The group, which included five members of the same family, had set off from Zermatt, a popular ski destination, on Saturday morning and were reported missing in the Tête Blanche region, according to police in the canton of Valais.
The skiers were aged between 21 and 58, Reuters reported. Police have not yet released the identities of the dead, while inquiries continue to identify the sixth person who was not a member of the family.
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