Matterhorn Helicopter Search for 38-Year-Old Kalie McCrystal Is Suspended After 1 Day
Updated
Updated · CBC Sports · Sep 5
Matterhorn Helicopter Search for 38-Year-Old Kalie McCrystal Is Suspended After 1 Day
3 articles · Updated · CBC Sports · Sep 5
Summary
Repeated helicopter sweeps on Thursday found no trace of Kalie McCrystal, prompting rescuers to suspend the dedicated air search on the Italian side of the Matterhorn.
McCrystal, a 38-year-old skyrunner and lawyer from Squamish, B.C., was last seen Tuesday above the Jean-Antoine Carrel hut at about 3,830 metres, heading quickly toward the summit while training for a record attempt.
Rescuers switched from a large air ambulance helicopter to a smaller aircraft to inspect cliffs and couloirs, but saw nothing; RECCO scans and attempts to locate her cellphone also failed on both the Italian and Swiss sides.
The search has not fully ended: mountain guides who climb the 4,478-metre peak regularly are watching for signs, while authorities await new police information that could support a more targeted operation.