The body of a German mountain climber who went missing in 1986 while hiking along Switzerland’s famous Matterhorn mountain has been found.
The discovery is attributed to the melting glaciers in the region, which have caused the reemergence of bodies and objects that were previously considered lost. The body was found on June 12 by some climbers who were hiking along the Theodul Glacier in Switzerland’s Zermatt. “DNA analysis enabled the identification of a mountain climber who had been missing since 1986… In September 1986, a German climber, who was 38 at the time, had been reported missing after not returning from a hike…” the police said in a statement.
The Valais canton police did not disclose any further details about the identity of the German mountain climber or the circumstances surrounding his death. However, they did release a photograph to the public, showing a solitary hiking boot with red laces protruding from the snow. The boot was confirmed to have belonged to the missing individual.
Police confirmed that the climber’s remains underwent a thorough forensic analysis at Valais Hospital. The examination enabled experts to establish a connection between the discovered remains and the 1986 disappearance of the German mountain climber.
