Brit skier, 54, crashes into river and dies after suddenly losing control & veering off-piste in Swiss Alps
A BRITISH skier has died after losing control on a Swiss mountain slope and plunging into a nearby river.
The 54-year-old had been skiing an authorised run from the 6,800ft-high Kleine Scheidegg pass when he suddenly veered off piste.
He crashed off the marked slope and fell into the Rychenbach Stream on Friday.
Fellow skiers pulled him from the water near the village of Grindelwald and called emergency services.
He was airlifted to hospital in capital Bern, but tragically died from multiple injuries the next day.
The river is known worldwide as the setting for Sherlock Holmes’ final showdown with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Fall.
Police said they are investigating the incident.
It comes just two months after another British skier, 23, was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in the French Alps following an après ski party in Avoriaz.
He had been skiing with friends before the party, and reportedly got lost trying to make his way down the mountain alone.
Authorities believe he removed his skis before falling from a height. He was evacuated by helicopter and declared dead after being identified by family.
Just last week, a huge fire ripped through a ski resort hotel and forced 500 people, including Brits, to flee the building.
Some guests reportedly lost “everything” to the flames – including ski gear and all their clothes – prompting a holiday warning from the UK government.
Guests were left shivering in the snow wearing only their night clothes and then crammed into a local sports centre for shelter.
More than 90 firefighters and 40 firetrucks battled the blaze near Albertville in the French Alps, which sparked at around 2.45am on Wednesday morning.
Local official Bruno Charlot said that 484 people had been evacuated in just 15 minutes, with four needing hospital treatment.
A social media post said many guests had lost clothes and ski equipment, and that some had lost “everything”.
The blaze burned for hours and damaged three-quarters of the building.
It was under control but still not completely extinguished by mid-morning, and smoke was still visible in the afternoon.
Police said the fire started on the outside of the building and spread to the roof.
In January, two teens were left in intensive care after a ski lift pulley broke at a Spanish ski resort, sending riders plunging from their chairs.
The incident at the Astún ski resort in Huesca left at least 30 people injured and dozens trapped, as emergency services and helicopters raced to assist those caught in the tragedy.
Regional officials confirmed that nine people suffered critical injuries and eight were seriously hurt.
Meanwhile around 80 skiers and snowboarders have been left dangling from the chairs of the lift while a mass evacuation takes place.