A tragic discovery was made Sunday at the upscale Zermatt ski resort in Switzerland, where five skiers were found dead near the Adlergletscher glacier. The bodies were located during aerial and ground search in the southwestern part of the country, close to the border with Italy.
The search began after emergency services received a report on Saturday from local residents who had come across abandoned skis in the area, at an altitude of approximately 4,000 meters (13,100 feet).
Authorities are investigating the causes of death, examining weather conditions and possible avalanche activity in the region. For now, the identities of the victims have not been confirmed, and the investigation is ongoing.
The fact that the victims were found at varying elevations supports the suspicion that they were killed in an avalanche. Three bodies were discovered in one area, while two others were located higher up the slope.
In a separate incident on Friday night, rescue teams from the ski resort were involved in a challenging mountain rescue on the Fiescherhorn peak, where four skiers were trapped amid dense fog and strong winds. A first attempt to evacuate them had to be aborted due to adverse weather, but a second attempt shortly after midnight successfully brought all four to safety.
