In 2016, around 2 people had to be rescued by mountain rescue in the Swiss Alps. 800 people had fatal accidents in mountain sports: That is 113 percent fewer than in the previous year, but as many as the average for the last five years, reports the SAC in a current report.
As far as rock climbing is concerned, 2016's balance sheet was as follows. In well-secured multi-pitch routes in the Plaisir area, 41 climbers were hit by an emergency, on 49 alpine tours, in the 14 extreme range and in 26 climbing gardens.
Accident causes when climbing
Threatening weather crashes, falling darkness or getting lost in the descent and jammed ropes while rappelling were, as in previous years, the most common cause of such blockages. Falling injured 50 climbers, mostly in the lead. The causes of the four fatal accidents were very different: a fall to the ground in a climbing garden; a crash when approaching a route in tricky terrain; a rockfall accident, which the victim did not survive despite the helmet, and an 50 meter fall into the rope when exiting in plain terrain during an alpine climbing tour.
All facts and figures on sac-cas.ch
You can find the complete report on the website of the Swiss Alpine Club
Credits: Picture (Cornel Suter) and excerpts (Ueli Mosimann), SAC (www.sac-cas.ch)