NOS News•yesterday, 9:50 PM
Three people were killed in an avalanche in the Swiss winter sports resort of Zermatt. A fourth person was rescued from the snow with injuries, police said.
The avalanche occurred around 2 p.m. between some ski slopes. Many winter sports enthusiasts saw how several people were dragged away by the mass of snow on a steep slope. The rescue services speak of a “major avalanche”.
The police immediately started a search. Dogs were used to search and several helicopters were deployed. The search has now been stopped. The identities of the victims have not been released.
The ski area currently has warning level four on a scale of five. Today, the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) warned of the increased avalanche danger. “Very large and sometimes extremely large spontaneous avalanches are to be expected,” the SLF said.
In recent days, 1 to 2 meters of snow has fallen in some places in the ski area. The strong wind also creates a greater risk, because the snow can accumulate. The avalanche danger is especially high above the tree line.
Fourteen people have already died in twelve different avalanches in Switzerland this winter.
