All 16 of those buried in an avalanche on Saturday in southwestern Switzerland have been found alive.
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“Fortunately, all of the buried people were recovered alive by the rescue workers. Two people were flown to the hospital by helicopter,” said a press release from Air Zermatt.External link
The avalanche occurred in the Alphuebel area in the Saas Fee valley in canton Valais. Major resources were mobilised for the search and rescue operation.
Eight helicopters were deployed and experienced rescue specialists from Zermatt and the Saas Valley as well as dog teams were pressed into service. They were accompanied by the local fire brigades to support them.
Over the past 20 years, there has been an average of 100 reported avalanches per year involving people in Switzerland. On average, 23 people die in avalanches annually, the majority (90%) in open mountainous areas involving off-piste skiing, snowboarding, or backcountry touring on skis or snowshoes. In controlled areas (roads, railways, communities and secured ski runs) the 15-year annual average number of victims dropped from 15 at the end of the 1940s to less than one in 2010.
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