High-Altitude Tragedy: Five Skiers Found Dead in the Rimpfischhorn Range, Switzerland

A new tragic accident at high altitude has cast a shadow over the Swiss Alps. The bodies of five skiers were discovered on Saturday, May 24, on the Adler Glacier, in the Rimpfischhorn range near the renowned ski resort of Zermatt (canton of Valais). Cantonal police have stated that formal identification of the victims is still underway.

Alert Raised by Two Ski Tourers

The alarm was sounded around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday by two ski tourers who noticed abandoned pairs of skis at roughly 4,000 meters of altitude, below the Rimpfischhorn summit, without encountering any sign of their owners, according to the Swiss news agency ATS.

A helicopter from Air Zermatt quickly flew over the area, enabling rescuers to locate the bodies. According to the aerial rescue company, three skiers were found on an avalanche cone around 500 meters below where the skis had been spotted. The remaining two victims were discovered higher up, on a snow patch located approximately 200 meters above. In both cases, emergency medical teams could only confirm the fatalities.

Investigation Underway

The precise circumstances of the tragedy remain unclear. The Valais public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation. Authorities are working to determine the causes of the accident, including the potential role of an avalanche.

Speaking to AFP, cantonal police spokesperson Kathleen Pralong-Cornaille said that more information, including the victims’ identities, may be released in the coming days once forensic examinations are completed.

A Grim Series in the Swiss Alps

This new tragedy comes just over a year after six ski tourers were killed in March 2024 by a violent snowstorm in the same Zermatt region. The group, aged between 21 and 58, included five members of the same family.

The weekend also saw another fatal incident: a 29-year-old Swiss mountaineer lost his life on Sunday in an avalanche on the Morgenhorn, in the canton of Bern.