A hiking boot and a set of crampons emerged from the ice near the Matterhorn. DNA testing confirmed what a massive search had failed to find nearly four decades earlier.
The Disappearance
In September 1986, a 38-year-old German climber went missing after failing to return from a hike near the Matterhorn, Switzerland's most famous peak. Despite an extensive search at the time, no trace of him was found, and his case remained unresolved for 37 years.
The Discovery
This year, climbers crossing the Theodul glacier above Zermatt spotted a hiking boot and crampons emerging from the melting ice. Police in Switzerland's Valais canton confirmed that DNA analysis matched the recovered remains to the missing climber, closing the case. Authorities did not release his identity or details about the circumstances of his death.
A Broader Pattern
The discovery is part of a growing trend as accelerating glacier melt across the Alps exposes long-hidden remains and wreckage. Similar identifications in recent years have included two young Japanese climbers missing since a 1970 snowstorm on the Matterhorn, identified in 2015; British climber Jonathan Conville, missing since 1979, found in 2014; and wreckage from a 1968 plane crash, along with two additional sets of unidentified human remains, found on other Swiss glaciers.
Why the Ice Is Giving Up Its Secrets
Switzerland is home to more glaciers than any other European country, and Swiss glaciers experienced record melting recently, losing more than 6% of their volume in a single year — a level of loss once considered extreme at just 2%. Researchers have found the country's glaciers have lost more than half their total volume since the early 1930s, a pace of shrinkage faster than earlier scientific projections anticipated. Some projections suggest most Alpine glaciers could disappear by the end of the century under current climate trends.
FAQ
How was the climber identified after 37 years?
DNA testing on remains exposed by melting glacier ice matched him to the missing person report filed in 1986.
Is this a common occurrence in the Alps?
Increasingly, yes. Accelerating glacier melt has led to several similar discoveries of remains and wreckage from decades-old incidents in recent years.
Why are Swiss glaciers melting so quickly?
Researchers point to accelerating climate change; Swiss glaciers have lost more than half their volume since the 1930s, with the pace of loss increasing in recent years.