ZURICH, July 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Climbers hiking near Switzerland’s famous Matterhorn mountain in the Alps came across human remains that authorities determined to be a German climber who went missing in 1986.
The discovery was made July 12 as the climbers hiked along the Theodul Glacier in the southern Switzerland mountain resort of Zermatt, police in the Valais canton said. A forensic analysis at Valais Hospital allowed officials to determine that the remains were that of a mountain climber from Germany who disappeared 37 years ago.
A search and rescue operation at the time failed to find any trace of the hiker, who police said was 38 when he went missing.
Police did not name him or include any other information about his identity. However, the agency released a photograph from the site of where the remains were discovered that show a lone hiking boot with red laces in the snow, along with some of the hiker’s equipment.
Melting glaciers and receding snow in the Alps as a result of climate change have led to the discovery of remains of long-lost hikers, some of whom the Swiss police agency said disappeared decades ago. — NNN-AGENCIES
