**Bodies of Two Belgian Climbers Found in Swiss Alps 34 Years After Disappearance**
*Published on 19/08/2026 - 14:01 GMT+2*
In a poignant development, the bodies of two Belgian climbers who went missing in the Swiss Alps 34 years ago have been recovered from the Trift Glacier, according to the police in the Valais canton. The discovery was made on July 26 by a hiker traversing the glacier, located in southern Switzerland near the Italian border.
Following the recovery, the remains were sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Wallis Hospital in Sion for identification. Authorities confirmed that DNA analysis has definitively identified the remains as belonging to the two climbers who disappeared in the Weissmies region in 1992.
The climbers, who set out on September 4, 1992, aimed to reach the summit of Weissmies, which stands at 4,017 meters. They departed from the Weissmies hut but only managed to reach the Almagell hut before being overtaken by severe weather conditions. Despite extensive search operations conducted in the months following their disappearance, which included the discovery of a rucksack, no further evidence was found at that time.
The case highlights the ongoing impact of climate change, as the accelerated melting of glaciers has increasingly revealed the remains of climbers who have been lost for years, if not decades. This phenomenon has been noted by authorities, as they maintain records of individuals reported missing since 1925, primarily in mountainous areas and rivers.
In a related incident, last year, the remains of a Swiss mountaineer who vanished in 1994 were found on a glacier on the Ober Gabelhorn mountain, also within the Valais region. These discoveries underscore the changing landscape of the Alps, where retreating ice is bringing to light the past tragedies of mountaineering.
The recovery of the Belgian climbers’ remains not only brings closure to their families but also serves as a reminder of the inherent risks associated with high-altitude climbing, particularly in unpredictable weather conditions. As the climate continues to change, the Swiss Alps may reveal more stories of climbers lost to the mountains over the years.