VERBIER, SWITZERLAND – Displaying remarkable bravery, a British skier named Edward Courage, aged in his 70s, saved two brothers from an impending disaster in the Swiss Alps. The trio, along with others, were aboard a helicopter that was swept away by a sudden avalanche from the peak of the Petit Combin mountain.
With commendable calmness, Courage managed to push Teddy and Guy Hitchens out of the helicopter before it was swallowed by the avalanche. He then managed to jump to safety. Unfortunately, the pilot Jerome Lovey, fellow skier James Goff, and guide Adam George lost their lives in the incident.
Following the incident, Courage fell down the slope for several hundred feet, sustaining multiple injuries. He was found about five hours later and was rushed to a hospital for treatment, just like the Hitchens brothers.
Richard and Maeve, the parents of the Hitchens brothers, extended their deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased. They also informed that Teddy had been released from the hospital, while Guy was still under medical care, but no surgery was anticipated.
The Valais regional police force, along with federal prosecutors, are investigating the incident. The helicopter belonged to Air Glaciers, who were also involved in the rescue operations. They expressed their deep shock and condolences to the families of the victims.
This incident occurred shortly after another avalanche near the Swiss resort of Zermatt, which claimed three lives, including that of American teenager Alex Beiga.