American tourist dies after falling into crevasse in Swiss Alps

A 55-year-old American died in the mountains above the resort of Zermatt, the second US tourist to lose his life in Swiss mountains in a span of two months.

According to the Valais cantonal police , the accident happened at the Klein Matterhorn glacier, at an altitude of 3,883 metres above sea level, where the victim was discovered by rescuers.

“The man fell into a glacier crevasse after entering a restricted area closed to pedestrians,” the police said.

The circumstances surrounding this accident are being investigated by Valais authorities.

The man was the second American tourist to die this year while hiking in the mountains.

On July 6th, the body of a 19-year-old American citizen was found in a rugged area overlooking Lake Brienz, in canton Bern.

The teen apparently fell off the marked trail in steep terrain near Spycheren during the descent, sustaining fatal injuries.

On average , around 40 to 50 foreign tourists die each year in the Swiss mountains while engaging in mountain sports.