The body of a 19-year-old US citizen was found Saturday in a rugged area overlooking Lake Brienz, in canton Bern. He died from his injuries, Swiss police report.
According to initial findings, several people were hiking together in the area when one, the 19-year-old in question, split from the group and went off by himself
“For reasons yet to be determined, the hiker apparently fell off the marked trail in steep terrain near Spycheren during the descent. He sustained fatal injuries,” Bern police reported.
Search dogs and helicopters deployed
Members of the Bern Cantonal Police, several Rega teams, as well as specialists from the Swiss Alpine Rescue with search dogs were involved in the rescue operation.
“An extensive search operation was launched on Friday,” police report states. “On Saturday morning, rescue teams located a body in the rugged terrain of the Wychelwald forest.”
“Based on current information, an accident is the most likely cause of death,” the report added.
The identity of the hiker has not been revealed. It is therefore not known whether the person was a tourist or resident.
Not the first time
Unfortunately, this is not the first fatal accident in Switzerland involving a US teenager.
In June 2024, American media widely reported that “A 16-year-old American girl plummeted over 300 feet [nearly 94 metres] to her death while hiking with her friend’s family in Switzerland.”
This particular incident happened near the Trient river in Valais.
On average, about 40 to 55 people die each year in Switzerland in hiking and mountain hiking accidents, according to recent data from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU)
