Three people were killed when a huge avalanche swept them away in Switzerland.
Three bodies were found after the group went missing in an avalanche near Zermatt, home to a popular ski resort in the southern canton of Valais, and the body of a minor was identified by USAonly 15 years old.
A fourth person was found with injuries and airlifted to a nearby hospital after a dramatic rescue search involving four helicopters. About 45 rescuers were involved in the search, including eight specially trained dogs, 13 rescue specialists, 15 firefighters and local ski instructors.
“The deceased are a 15-year-old American male and a male and female whose identification has not yet been completed,” according to a statement issued Tuesday morning.
The injured man is a 20-year-old Swiss man, authorities said. Valais, Switzerland, attracts tourists from all over during the busy ski season – but authorities are warning of the risk of more disaster amid heavy snowfall and “hurricane” winds in the region.
The skiers found themselves on a very steep slope in Switzerland
According to reports, the skiers were in an area of deep snow outside the marked ski slopes around when the avalanche hit.
“It looked to me like there were quite a few people there at the time of the avalanche,” a horrified witness told local news agency Blick.
Bruno Jelk, former head of Zermatt’s mountain rescue service and current head of avalanche monitoring, said several had gone off the piste on a “very steep slope” where tracks were still visible.
“The search was not so easy at first,” said Air Zermatt’s rescue chief. Two of the victims were found with avalanche beacons on their faces, authorities said.
Police said the other two victims were a man and a woman, whose “identifications are still pending.”
The ski area was about 2,500 meters above sea level and subject to periodic avalanche warnings. Much snow had fallen over the Easter weekend as the mountains were battered by strong winds, local media reported.
“Very large, and in some cases extremely large, spontaneous avalanches should be expected,” the Snow and Avalanche Research Institute said.
“The slopes are 100 percent safe. There is no risk to the safety of people just spending time on the slopes,” the rescue chief added, reassuring skiers who are following safety measures and restrictions.
The second tragedy weeks after the death of 5 skiers
Fourteen people have died in avalanches in Switzerland this winter, according to the SLF. A family of skiers were found dead in the Swiss Alps last March after leaving Zermatt for the nearby town of Arolla.
According to iefimerida, the group of six trapped people raised the alarm when they were overwhelmed by a heavy storm – which prevented helicopters and rescue teams from reaching them. Five of the six Alpine enthusiasts were later found dead.
The ski trippers had tried to make a cave out of the snow and protect themselves from the wind. Their bodies were found scattered in the area, suggesting they had panicked before losing consciousness.
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