Two dead in paragliding accident on Swiss mountain
Two people died in a paragliding accident on the Breithorn in Valais.
Keystone-SDA
Two people died in a paragliding accident on the summit of the Breithorn in Valais in southwestern Switzerland.
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During the takeoff, the couple slipped several hundred meters into the depths for reasons that are still unclear, police reported on Thursday.
The accident occurred on Wednesday around 3 p.m. The two people wanted to take a tandem flight from the summit of the Breithorn.
According to police, third parties observed the incident and immediately alerted the rescue organization of the canton of Valais. After a search operation by Air Zermatt, the two people were found dead.
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According to the cantonal police, the formal identification of the victims was still ongoing on Thursday afternoon.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) has launched a routine investigation. Paragliders are considered aircraft, which is why the incident is being investigated as an aviation offense, the BA told the Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA. Base jumpers and hang gliders are also considered aircraft.
Translated from German by DeepL/tS
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