Two alpinists went missing in the Swiss Alps in 1992: This summer, receding ice revealed their remains

The mystery of the disappearance of two Belgian alpinists in the Swiss Alps has been solved 34 years later. The remains of the two men, who went missing in 1992 during an ascent in the Weissmies region, were found this summer on the Trift Glacier, near Saas-Grund, in the canton of Valais.

The discovery took place on July 26, when a hiker located human remains that had been exposed by the receding ice. After receiving the alert, authorities organized a recovery operation and transferred the bodies to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Valais Hospital in Sion.

Subsequent analyses made it possible to compare genetic profiles with samples from their families and confirm that they were the two missing mountaineers. Both were Belgian citizens and were 39 and 41 years old when they vanished.

According to Belgian media, the deceased were Marcel Bastyns and Jos Van Deun. On September 4, 1992, the two had begun a traverse from the Weissmies hut with the intention of reaching Almageller via the summit of the 13,179-foot Weissmies. During the day, they encountered very adverse weather conditions and never reached their destination.

Following their disappearance, several search operations were launched. The teams located a backpack, but found no trace of the two climbers, whose whereabouts remained a mystery for more than three decades.

The retreat of the glacier has now ended up revealing their remains. The Valais Cantonal Police noted that these types of discoveries occur periodically as Alpine glaciers lose volume and expose areas that remained covered for decades.

Valais authorities maintain a missing persons registry dating back to 1925, featuring numerous cases related to accidents in high-altitude mountains, rivers, and other natural environments. For the families of Bastyns and Van Deun, the discovery puts an end to 34 years of uncertainty about what happened during that 1992 traverse.

Two alpinists went missing in the Swiss Alps in 1992: This summer, receding ice revealed their remains

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