Six Swiss soldiers die in avalanche

ZURICH – An avalanche killed six Swiss soldiers yesterday as they were climbing the Jungfrau, one of the country’s most famous peaks, rescue services said.

The victims, all men, were scaling the southern flank of the mountain in the Bernese Oberland canton in central Switzerland, when fresh snow gave way at 3 800 metres, said Thomas Kenner, spokesman for Swiss mountain rescue service REGA. “It was an avalanche,” he said.”Six soldiers were killed and their bodies have been brought down to the valley.Eight other soldiers were unharmed.”The soldiers had left the village of Andermatt earlier on Thursday to head for the Jungfrau after several days of snow, according to the Swiss news agency ATS.The six, who were linked by ropes in groups of three, were swept several hundred meters to their deaths.The Swiss army regularly uses mountain territory for specialist military training, though it was not immediately clear whether the soldiers had been on an exercise.Nampa-Reuters”It was an avalanche,” he said.”Six soldiers were killed and their bodies have been brought down to the valley.Eight other soldiers were unharmed.”The soldiers had left the village of Andermatt earlier on Thursday to head for the Jungfrau after several days of snow, according to the Swiss news agency ATS.The six, who were linked by ropes in groups of three, were swept several hundred meters to their deaths.The Swiss army regularly uses mountain territory for specialist military training, though it was not immediately clear whether the soldiers had been on an exercise.Nampa-Reuters