Vietnamese mountaineers rescued after 14-hour ordeal on Alps

By Phan Anh September 25, 2024 | 02:58 pm PT

Two Vietnamese are rescued from the Matterhorn, Sept. 24, 2024. Photo courtesy of Air Zermatt

Two Vietnamese mountaineers were rescued from the Matterhorn, a mountain on the border of Italy and Switzerland, after being stranded in extreme weather conditions on Monday.

Swiss rescuers from Zermatt municipality received an emergency call just after 7 a.m., reporting that two Vietnamese climbers were trapped on the mountain, according to Blue News. Adverse weather made it impossible to conduct an aerial rescue.

By 1 p.m., three rescuers from the Zermatt rescue station began their ascent to locate the climbers. They found them in distress at an altitude of over 3,500 meters. The Vietnamese climbers were reportedly underprepared for the conditions and were suffering from hypothermia.

After reaching the climbers, the rescuers began the descent. At 2 a.m., a helicopter was able to take off and safely transport the group from the mountain in two separate flights, completing the 14-hour rescue operation.

The Vietnamese climbers have since returned home in stable condition, VOV reported.