UPDATE: Swiss Storm Now Claims 10th Victim
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The Pigne d'Arolla in Switzerland, where 14 skiers were stranded overnight but intense storms. Wikidmedia Commons photo.
Tragedy struck in the Swiss Alps Monday morning–according to a report by Agence France Presse (AFP), four skiers died on the Pigne d'Arolla after they were trapped by a storm on the mountain overnight and forced to endure exposure to the elements.
Per the AFP, the four skiers were part of a larger group of 14 who went up the Pigne d'Arolla on Sunday and were surprised by the onset of the storm and forced to spend the night on the mountain. Of the other nine surviving skiers, the AFP reports five are currently listed in critical condition.
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The AFP reports that the 14 skiers were rescued Monday, after the manager of a nearby rest stop called for help, which set off a massive search and rescue operation involving seven helicopters.
Many of the 14 skiers were suffering from hypothermia when they were rescued, but of the five survivors not listed in critical condition, local police told the AFP their "lives are not in danger."
The latest mountain tragedy in the Alps is a scary reminder of just how quickly conditions can change when in the mountains, and the importance of always preparing for the absolute worst.
