A 55-year-old American man died on Monday, September 28, 2026, after falling into a crevasse on the Breithorn Plateau above Zermatt, Switzerland.
The accident occurred shortly after noon on Monday near the Klein Matterhorn Glacier. According to the Valais Cantonal Police, the man entered a glacier and ski-piste area for reasons that remain unclear. The area he entered was closed to pedestrians at the time. He subsequently fell into a crevasse.
Emergency responders were alerted and immediately launched a search in the area. Rescuers located the man inside the crevasse a short time later but were unable to save him.
The victim was identified by authorities only as a 55-year-old American national. His name has not been publicly released. The Upper Valais Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The Breithorn Plateau sits high above Zermatt near the Klein Matterhorn, whose cable-car station is at approximately 12,500 feet (3,817 meters). The Breithorn itself rises to 13,661 feet (4,164 meters) and is considered one of the easier 4,000-meter peaks in the Alps because of its relatively short approach from the Klein Matterhorn. The route nevertheless crosses glaciated terrain where crevasses remain a significant hazard.
Swiss official route information and the Swiss Alpine Club recommend mountain-guide support for the Breithorn glacier and lists equipment including crampons, a climbing harness, avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe for ski-mountaineering routes in the area.
The circumstances that led the man into the restricted area, including whether he was attempting to reach the Breithorn or traveling elsewhere on the plateau, have not been released.
The investigation remains ongoing.
