Bodies of 2 hikers missing for decades in Swiss Alps found after glacier melts

The bodies of two Belgian mountaineers, who went missing in the Swiss Alps over three decades ago, have been discovered, according to officials. The Valais region's government, which maintains a database of missing persons dating back a century, revealed that the retreat of glaciers has exposed the remains of individuals who disappeared in earlier times.

Late last month, a hiker stumbled upon human remains following the melting of the Trift glacier, located south of Lucerne, which triggered a recovery operation. On Wednesday, the regional government announced that DNA tests conducted at a Valais hospital confirmed the remains belonged to two Belgian hikers, aged 39 and 41 at the time, who vanished near the Weissmies mountain in 1992, located dozens of kilometers to the south.

This discovery is not unprecedented but has become more frequent as Swiss glaciers are melting at an accelerating pace. A similar case occurred three years ago when DNA tests verified that a body found on a glacier near the Matterhorn was that of a German mountaineer who went missing in 1986. Many scientists attribute the recent surge in glacier melt in Switzerland and other regions to global warming.