Hiker Found Alive After Six Hours Buried in Swiss Snow
An eagle-eyed rescue crew member found a missing hiker waving for help while buried up to his neck in snow in a mountainous area of Valois, Switzerland, on the night of February 8, according to the rescue organization.
Air Glaciers, a Swiss airline that conducts rescue missions, released this footage and said it shows the moment their pilot detected “a sign of life” in a large pile of snow blocks under their searchlight.
In its report on the rescue, Air Glaciers said the hiker had told his family about his planned route — a route he had taken several times before — and had also sent them a photo from his hike.
That information proved crucial for the rescue team, which was able to reduce the search area and pinpoint his location quickly.
The team, comprised of a pilot, a paramedic, a rescue guide and a second guide from the region, launched an aerial mission to locate the man by flying over the itinerary he had told his family about.
The missing hiker was eventually spotted by a crew member. “He was still conscious but buried up to his neck for more than six hours in the compact snow,” Air Glaciers said. “The survivor had only his head and one of his arms out of the snow which allowed him to wave to the helicopter as it passed,” they added.
The hiker was airlifted out and was suffering from mild hypothermia, according to the rescue report. Credit: Air Glaciers/Matthew Lambert via Storyful
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