The body of a German climber, missing since 1986, has been confirmed after human remains were found on a glacier near Switzerland’s renowned Matterhorn. This discovery adds to a series of long-held secrets exposed by the Alpine glaciers, which are rapidly shrinking due to climate change.
Earlier this month, climbers crossing the Theodul glacier above Zermatt made the remarkable find when they noticed a hiking boot and crampons emerging from the ice. DNA analysis revealed the body’s identity, belonging to the German climber who vanished 37 years ago during a hike. Despite an extensive search and rescue operation at the time, no trace of him was found.
While the Theodul glacier is part of Zermatt’s famous year-round ski region, it, like other glaciers in the Alps, has experienced a significant retreat in recent years due to global warming. Notably, the Theodul was once connected to its neighbor, the Gorner glacier, until the 1980s when they separated.
The melting ice in the region frequently unveils objects or individuals lost for decades. Last year, the wreckage of a plane that crashed in 1968 was exposed from the Aletsch glacier.