Helicopter crash with Naters: fatal accident on the foothorn!

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Von: WOM

Ein Helikopterabsturz im Wallis bei Naters fordert ein Todesopfer. Ermittlungen zu den Ursachen sind im Gange.
A helicopter crash in the Valais at Naters demands a death. Investigations into the causes are underway. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

On Saturday afternoon, June 28, 2025, a tragic helicopter crash in the Oberalerschtletscher region in the canton of Valais, near the municipality of Naters. The accident that happened around noon concerned a helicopter of the AS350 B3 Ecureuil type, which was in use for agricultural work. According to the first reports, there is a confirmed death, a 51-year-old Swiss man, and at least one other seriously injured, while another person was unharmed. A total of at least four people were on board the crashed aircraft, which came to a standstill after the impact.

The emergency services, including the Knaton police in Valais and the cantonal Valais rescue organization, were quickly on site. In the height of 2500 meters, eight emergency services, including rescue specialists and four helicopters, took up their work. The Naters fire brigade also supported the rescue measures. According to the Wallis cantonal police, further information is published in an official message.

Investigations after the accident

The Swiss Security Investigation Center (Sust) has already initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident. At the same time, the Federal Prosecutor's Office (BA), together with the Valais cantonal police, leads criminal investigations. The authorities are supposed to work in close coordination to get to the bottom of the cause of the accident. policekicker.ch reports that it is a very serious incident that once again focuses on the security situation in the helicopter area.

In the past, there have been tragic accidents in the helicopter industry. Between 2020 and 2024, according to a report by Helioffshore , 19 accidents were recorded in the Western OEM-HUBAUFER industry, including 10 with death consequences. A total of 27 people died during this period. The estimated 5-year faisity rate for helicopters in this area is 3.36 per million flight hours. These figures illustrate the urgency to improve the security measures in the industry and to comply with the intermediate objectives to reduce accidents.

The immediate measures that should result from such accidents include a comprehensive security strategy for eliminating the most common types of accident. The industry is under pressure to take suitable measures to increase process reliability and prevent future incidents.

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OrtNaters, Schweiz
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