Valais, Switzerland— A massive rockslide tore through a mountain hiking trail in Valais Canton on October 20, 2026, killing two hikers and leaving a third missing under tons of shattered limestone and debris.
The collapse happened at around 2:15 p.m. above the Val d'Anniviers area, on a narrow section of the trail that cuts across a steep cliff face. Cantonal police said several hundred cubic meters of rock detached without warning. Hikers below had no time to run.
Two bodies were located within hours by rescue teams using drones and thermal cameras. They were a 41-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, both Swiss nationals hiking together. They were struck directly by falling blocks.
A third hiker, a 29-year-old man from the same group, remains unaccounted for. Rescuers believe he is buried under the main deposit. "The debris field is large and unstable. We are moving rock by rock," a Valais rescue chief said.
Geologists were flown in to assess the remaining cliff. Cracks were still visible. Work was halted twice due to secondary rockfall. Heavy machinery cannot reach the site, so crews are working by hand and with a small cable crane.
The trail had been open despite recent freeze-thaw cycles that often loosen Alpine rock in autumn. The municipality had conducted a visual inspection in September and found no immediate danger signs.
"We heard a deep rumble, like thunder, then dust everywhere," a hiker who was 200 meters behind the group told Tages-Anzeiger. "We shouted. No answer."
The cantonal prosecutor has ordered a geological report to determine whether recent heavy rainfall contributed to the failure. Access to all surrounding trails has been closed indefinitely.
Search operations were suspended at nightfall due to risk and will resume with specialized Alpine rescue units and search dogs.
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