Bodies of two hikers missing for decades found after Swiss glacier melts
Officials say the bodies of the two Belgians, who went missing in 1992, were discovered after the Trift Glacier receded.
The bodies of two Belgian men who disappeared in the Swiss Alps in 1992 have been found, following the melting of a glacier, according to police. The discovery was made on July 26th by a hiker on the Trift Glacier, south of Lucerne. DNA tests later confirmed the remains belonged to the two missing mountaineers. The victims were aged 39 and 41 when they went missing near the Weissmies mountain.
Scientists attribute the rapid retreat of Switzerland's glaciers, which shrank by a quarter between 2015 and 2025, to climate change. The Weissmies mountain, where the men went missing, is a popular spot for mountaineers in the Saas Valley. A database of missing persons maintained by regional officials, dating back to 1925, notes that many disappearances involve the mountains, rivers, or other bodies of water.
This is not the first time melting glaciers have revealed the remains of individuals who went missing decades ago. In 2023, remains found on a glacier near the Matterhorn were identified as those of a German climber who had been missing since 1986. The rate of glacier reduction has been accelerating globally since the 1990s, particularly in Switzerland.
According to data from Glamos, Switzerland's glaciers have reduced by an additional 3% in 2025, following record years of ice loss in 2022 and 2023. Rising global temperatures have brought unseasonably warm weather to Switzerland's higher altitudes, and reduced snowfall has jeopardized some ski resorts and competitions.
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