Two Britons Among Three Killed in Swiss Alps Plane Crash
A small single-engine aircraft collided with a mountainside near Leukerbad, prompting an investigation.
Two British nationals were among three people who died when a small single-engine aircraft crashed in the Swiss Alps on Tuesday. The Cirrus SR22T aircraft was flying near Leukerbad in the southern canton of Valais when it collided with a mountain slope.
Valais cantonal police stated the plane took off from Sion Airport and crashed approximately ten minutes later in the Fluhalp area. All three occupants of the aircraft perished in the incident. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is providing support to the families of the two British nationals who died.
The aircraft had made a stop in Sion after taking off from Lugano before heading towards Buochs aerodrome. Residents reported seeing smoke rising from the aircraft shortly after the crash at 4 p.m., prompting emergency services to respond. Rescue teams, including helicopters and specialists, were deployed to the scene.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has been opened by federal Swiss authorities and is being led by the Office of the Attorney General of the Confederation in collaboration with the Valais cantonal police. Images released by local police showed the wreckage on the mountainside.
This incident follows another fatal crash in Switzerland last week, where a coach carrying tourists overturned on a mountain road in the Graubunden canton, resulting in multiple fatalities among the 48 Dutch passengers. The exact number of victims and their nationalities in the coach crash have not yet been released.