Three people died and three others were injured after a helicopter crashed while dropping off skiers on the Petit Combin mountain in the Swiss Alps, according to The Guardian and Daily Mail.
The B3 helicopter crashed near a landing place for heliskis, the Valais regional police announced in a statement. “After reaching the top of a mountain at 3,668 meters above sea level, for a reason that the investigation will have to establish, the aircraft slid down the northern slope, the statement said. According to local media, the aircraft rolled down the steep slope, causing an avalanche that buried it below.
On board were the pilot, a mountain guide and his four clients who apparently intended to practice heliskiing. Their identity has not been disclosed.
Heliskiing is a luxury sport that involves climbing a mountain peak and descending on skis or a snowboard, not being practiced on specially arranged slopes.
Seven helicopters were sent to the scene as part of the rescue effort.
Two injured people were treated on the spot before being airlifted to the hospital in Sion, the capital of the Valais canton. A third person was later rescued, police said.
“Unfortunately, the other three occupants of the aircraft were found dead,” the statement said.
“We are deeply shocked by this event. Our thoughts are with the families and relatives of the victims”, said the owner of the helicopter, Air Glaciers, which was also involved in the rescue efforts.
On Monday, in another part of the southeastern canton of Valais, three people were killed in an avalanche.
The group disappeared near Zermatt, a popular ski resort in the canton of Valais.
A fourth person was found injured but alive and airlifted to a nearby hospital, after a dramatic search in the Riffelberg area, in which four helicopters and 45 rescuers were involved, including eight avalanche dogs, 13 specialists in rescue, 15 firefighters and local ski instructors.
“The deceased persons are a 15-year-old American, as well as a man and a woman whose identification has not yet been completed,” according to a statement.
The injured person is a 20-year-old Swiss man, the authorities said.
Tags: Helicopter crashed Swiss Alps people died injured people surprised avalanche
