Industry News
Authorities are seeking witnesses after a skier was found unconscious on a slope in the Saas-Fee ski area in Switzerland on Wednesday, January 29. At approximately 12:00 p.m., bystanders discovered a motionless skier on the “Ritzi” slope, located below the Morenia station. Emergency responders were immediately alerted, prompting a swift response from ski patrol, the Valais cantonal rescue organization, and an Air Zermatt helicopter.
The 77-year-old Swiss national was airlifted to a hospital in Sion, where he succumbed to his injuries later that night. The circumstances leading to the incident remain unclear, and authorities have launched an investigation. It is the second such case in the canton of Valais/Wallis this week, with a 25-year-old skier from Argentina dying under similar circumstances in Zermatt.
The prosecutor’s office has called for witnesses who may have seen the incident or have any relevant information to come forward. Anyone with details is urged to contact local authorities at +41 (0)27 326 56 56.
The Ritzi slope is marked in the trail map as run 4a and is a red run—or intermediate run by Swiss classification. Swiss ski trails are ranked blue (easy), red (intermediate), and black (difficult). Visibility on Wednesday was good but the circumstances of the accident are at this point unclear.
According to the Swiss Centre for Accident Prevention (BFU), approximately 63,000 people in Switzerland are injured each year while skiing and snowboarding. Around 90% of these incidents are self-inflicted, while the remaining 10% involve a third party. It is currently unclear if another party was involved in Wednesday’s incident. Skiers and snowboarders are urged to remember the 10 FIS rules for riding. While these FIS rules are not legally binding, these rules are used by judges to determine liability in case of an accident. Any violations based on witness statements, accident reports, and other evidence are considered gross negligence in Swiss courts.
