Fatal accident near Switzerland’s highest peak leaves one dead and one seriously injured

Two hikers fell about 300 meters from the depths on the Zumsteinspitze near Zermatt in Switzerland on Friday, July 19. One of the hikers suffered fatal injuries, while the other was seriously injured and had to be flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital. The duo had been attempting to climb the Zumsteinspitze, which at 4,563 metres (14,970 feet) is one of the highest mountains in Switzerland and lies southeast of the highest Swiss peak, the Dufourspitze, which is 4,645 metres (15,240 feet).

According to a media release from the Valais cantonal police, a third person reported that two mountain climbers had fallen at an altitude of 4,500 meters at around 8:30 a.m. The couple were roped together and slid together about 300 meters. The rescue workers, who were immediately alerted, could only confirm the death of one of the hikers. The other person, a 30-year-old Swiss man, was flown to the Inselspital in Bern with unknown but serious injuries. The helicopter rescue was carried out by Air Zermatt with the support of the Valais cantonal police.

The tour to the Zumsteinspitze typically starts from the Monte Rosa Hut, which is located at an altitude of 2,990 metres. The Zumstein peak is one of several 4,000-meter peaks in the Monta Rosa massif. The climb is not considered difficult and is rated PD (peu difficile/somewhat difficult) on the Swiss scale or Level 1 on the US scale.

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