Melting Swiss glacier coughs up body remains of hiker who went missing in 1986

The remains of a German climber, who went missing nearly 37 years ago, have been recovered from a Swiss glacier.

Thanks to the melting ice, the body became visible enough to be spotted by a group of climbers passing by.

A DNA test confirmed that the remains belonged to a 38-year-old hiker from Germany who went missing near the Matterhorn mountain, Switzerland’s most famous peak, around four decades ago.

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Police in the Valais canton said: “DNA analysis enabled the identification of a mountain climber who had been missing since 1986."

“In September 1986, a German climber, who was 38 at the time, had been reported missing after not returning from a hike,” the statement added.

Not an isolated incident

As the planet heats up due to climate change, glaciers in Switzerland are unveiling secrets long hidden beneath the snow.

In 2015, the remains of two Japanese hikers were recovered who went missing on the Matterhorn in a 1970 snowstorm. Their identities were confirmed after DNA tests.

Watch:Switzerland works to slash dependence on imported oil & gas

Similarly, in 2014, the remains of British climber Jonathan Conville were recovered, who vanished on the Matterhorn in 1979. His remains were spotted by a helicopter pilot.

Last year, plane parts were found on the Aletsch glacier from a Piper Cherokee that crashed in 1968.

Climate change leading to record glacier melting

Switzerland, with 1,400 glaciers, possesses the highest number in Europe, representing approximately half of all European Alps glaciers.

Last year, Swiss glaciers experienced a worrying record melting, losing over 6 per cent of their volume, a level previously considered extreme by experts at the Swiss Academy of Sciences.

Additional research revealed that since the early 1930s, the country's glaciers have lost more than half of their total volume, far surpassing scientists' predictions for their shrinkage rate. If this trend continues, nearly all Alpine glaciers may vanish by the end of this century.

“Glacier retreat is accelerating. Closely observing this phenomenon and quantifying its historical dimensions is important because it allows us to infer the glaciers’ responses to a changing climate,” said Daniel Farinotti, a co-author of the study.

(With inputs from agencies)

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