Two Vietnamese climbers could have frozen to death if the Swiss rescue team had been slow to arrive
Báo Dân trí•25/09/2024
(Dan Tri) - According to experts, without timely support, the two Vietnamese climbers might not have survived at an altitude of 3,500m under harsh weather conditions on the snowy peak of Matterhorn.
At 7:00 a.m. on September 23 (local time), the rescue team in Zermatt, a famous ski resort in the Swiss Alps, received an emergency call, informing that two Vietnamese climbers needed urgent assistance because they had an accident on the top of the Matterhorn snow mountain. This was a time when the weather conditions were very harsh with snow and strong winds. Air Zermatt, an airline specializing in providing mountain helicopter services, quickly assessed the situation. Due to the adverse weather conditions, the rescue team could not rescue by air or road. Therefore, Air Zermatt sent three experienced experts from the rescue station to the location where the accident occurred.
If the Swiss rescue team had arrived late, the lives of the two Vietnamese climbers could have been in danger (Photo: Vertical).
It is known that two Vietnamese tourists were trapped in a very rugged terrain at an altitude of more than 3,500m in conditions of severe hypothermia. They were not equipped with full mountain climbing gear, only thin-soled sneakers . Snow and ice were a big challenge that prevented the plane from reaching the scene, so experts were forced to descend by rope. After that, the group tried to bring the two victims back to the normal route using a rope system. The journey lasted 14 hours longer than expected. Finally, the group arrived at a safe shelter at Hörnli Hut. Here, the rescue airline Air Zermatt had prepared a helicopter for evacuation. However, at this time the weather was still unstable for the plane to take off. After many hours of waiting, they were able to board the flight safely.
Helicopter rescues people in distress on the mountain top (Photo: News).
"Without timely assistance, the two Vietnamese climbers could have frozen to death in the harsh conditions on the snowy mountaintop," said a representative of Air Zermatt. According to the latest information, the two climbers were examined by doctors at a local hospital. Their health is now stable and they have returned home. The Matterhorn is located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. With a height of 4,478m, the mountain is considered by Europeans to be a symbol of the Alps in general and a symbol of Switzerland in particular. The distinguishing feature of this mountain is its sharp, angular shape when viewed from Zermatt in Switzerland.
The Matterhorn is known as one of the most difficult mountains to conquer in Europe due to its complex terrain, steep slopes and harsh weather (Photo: Trip).
The mountain was first conquered by a British climbing team named Edward Whymper. During the descent from the summit, one of the members fell and had an accident. Since then, this place has become one of the most difficult peaks to conquer in Europe due to its almost vertical slope. If you stand on the Matterhorn on a sunny day with clear blue sky, you will see the whole peak of Mont Blanc with its peak covered in white snow all year round. This is considered a rare opportunity in life to admire the two highest mountains in the Alps at the same time. Mont Blanc is 4,810m high and is currently the highest peak of the famous European mountain range.
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