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Journalism of Courage
A hiker exploring the Fee Glacier in southern Switzerland had a harrowing experience after he fell into an abyss. However, it was his pet dog, a Chihuahua, that saved his life. The man was trekking across the glacier when he plummeted 26 ft into a narrow crevasse passing through a snow bridge.
While the hiker was beneath the surface, his pet dog remained above ground, waiting for his owner near the accident scene. According to People Magazine, the man managed to use a walkie-talkie to call for help after his fall.
Although he contacted someone nearby, the tough terrain made it impossible for them to locate him. The report stated that the opening where the man had fallen was narrow, making him invisible from above.
Around 3.00 pm local time, a rescue team from Air Zermatt launched a search operation. The rescue team finally spotted the trapped hiker after they saw a small movement on a rock by the Chihuahua, the report said.
“One of the rescue specialists spotted a small movement on a rock: the Chihuahua! Right next to it was the collapsed hole through which the man had fallen into the crevasse. Thanks to the dog’s behaviour, the crew was able to locate the exact site of the accident,” a statement from the airline read.
The Chihuahua remained by the crevasse throughout the operation, even tracking the rescuers’ movements as they worked to rescue its owner. Once the man was safely pulled from the ice, both he and his dog were taken to hospital.
“It is fair to say that his behaviour contributed significantly to the successful rescue,” Air Zermatt added. “The dog is a four-legged hero who may have saved his master’s life in a life-threatening situation.”
This isn’t the first time a pet dog has played a key role in rescuing its owner. In June last year, a pet dog ran nearly 6 km to alert the family after its owner drove off a remote embankment in Wallowa County in Oregon, US.
