Three lives were tragically lost in a helicopter crash amidst the majestic Swiss Alps on Tuesday, April 2nd, leaving three others injured.
Among the deceased are Jerome Lovey, the skilled Irish pilot, alongside Irish skier James Goff and their American guide, Adam George, who was renowned for his climbing prowess and co-owned the guide service Into the Mountains with his wife, Caroline.
Despite the devastation, three British skiers managed to survive the harrowing ordeal, thanks to the swift actions of one among them. Edward Courage, aged 68, heroically pushed brothers Ted and Guy Hitchens, aged 18 and 23 respectively, from the helicopter just moments before impact, sacrificing his own safety. Courage ended up tumbling down the slope into a crevasse, sustaining multiple injuries, yet he was thankfully located by rescuers within hours and airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. The Hitchenses, caught in an avalanche triggered by the crash, were eventually rescued as well.
This crash is believed to be the third helicopter in Valais this year, and the first commercial incident. This incident also occurred nearby but is unrelated to Monday’s avalanche in Zermatt, which killed three.
