The Local Switzerland

Two German climbers die in Swiss mountain fall

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 11:31:41 +0200

Two German mountaineers have fallen to their deaths while climbing one of the highest peaks in the Swiss Alps, the Dent Blanche, police said on Sunday.

South Korean climber dies on Switzerland’s Matterhorn

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 13:17:41 +0200

A climber from South Korea died on Monday after hitting bad weather on the iconic Matterhorn mountain.

Dutch walker killed in Swiss hiking accident

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 13:12:56 +0200

A Dutch man fell to his death on Wednesday while hiking in the mountains in the Swiss canton of Valais.

Stranded US teens rescued from Zurich's Uetliberg mountain

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 22:39:51 +0200

Two young American tourists had to be rescued by helicopter from the Uetliberg mountain in Zurich on Tuesday afternoon, police have said.

Could Switzerland see a record number of mountain deaths this year?

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:11:15 +0200

Heading up to the mountains is a national pastime in Switzerland but 2018 got off to a particularly deadly start and experts are worried the Alpine country is set for a record number of mountain fatalities this year.

Hikers saved by Whatsapp message after falling in Swiss mountains

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 10:25:52 +0100

Two men were thankful to be alive after spending six hours stuck on a ledge in the mountains on Sunday in -10C temperatures.

Mountain biker survives icy plunge into the Rhine

Mon, 25 Jul 2016 09:28:38 +0200

A Swiss mountain biker had a lucky escape after he and his bike fell from a marked path over a cliff and into the Rhine river.

Report: deaths among hikers at five year high

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 10:55:07 +0100

The number of people dying from classic mountain sports in Switzerland rose by a huge 48 percent last year, according to the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC).

Injury forces skiers to build igloo to survive

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 13:02:14 +0100

Three ski-tourers and their rescuers built an igloo to survive overnight in the mountains when one of the party became injured.

Blue SOS sprayed in snow saves lost boarder

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 11:50:07 +0100

A 19-year-old snowboarder who got lost in bad weather on Friday was rescued two days later after spraying a blue SOS in the snow.

Teen skier dies from head injuries in Alps

Sun, 03 Jan 2016 21:30:56 +0100

An 18-year-old woman died after suffering serious head injuries while skiing at the Melchsee-Frutt mountain resort in the canton of Obwalden, police said on Sunday.

Swiss woman injured in Paris is flown home

Tue, 17 Nov 2015 09:57:27 +0100

A Swiss woman injured in the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday night has been repatriated to Switzerland.

Ex-Swiss rescue pilot held for pot smuggling

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 11:32:23 +0100

A helicopter pilot who once worked for Rega, the Swiss emergency rescue service, has been arrested in Spain along with his Swiss co-pilot after being caught in a chopper with 600 kilograms of cannabis, according to media reports.

Paraglider trapped in power line drama

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 11:48:31 +0200

A paraglider spent more than three hours dangling from high-voltage power cables on Wednesday afternoon after being blown off course by a strong wind, Jura cantonal police reported.

Three injured as rescue helicopter crash lands

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 21:56:16 +0100

Three air rescue workers were critically injured when a Rega helicopter crash landed on Thursday in the canton of Uri.

Man shoots son during hunting season day trip

Fri, 19 Sep 2014 12:21:00 +0200

A man accidentally shot his 22-year-old son during the course of a hunt near Andermatt in the canton of Uri, police reported on Thursday.

No repatriation plan for Swiss Ebola victims

Fri, 29 Aug 2014 13:15:29 +0200

Switzerland does not have the resources to repatriate Swiss victims of the Ebola virus from disease-hit countries and must rely on foreign help, according to a newspaper report published on Thursday.

Rega CEO ‘earns more than a cabinet minister’

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 11:48:00 +0200

Switzerland’s much loved air rescue service, Rega, has flown into a storm of controversy over the remuneration the charity pays its management.

Mountaineering skier dies in Fribourg Alps

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 11:27:00 +0100

A 62-year-old mountaineering skier died while touring in the Teysachaux-Moléson region of the Alps in the canton of Fribourg, cantonal police said on Wednesday.

Swiss air rescue flying injured US soldiers

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:16:16 +0200

Swiss air ambulance service Rega has been transporting injured US soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq to the US base in Germany, it has emerged.