"Hero" Chihuahua helps save owner from crevasse in Swiss Alps

A Chihuahua has been hailed as a hero, after helping rescue his owner from a crevasse in the Swiss mountains. The animal was able to alert the emergency services as to where the man had fallen, likely saving his life.

Air Zermatt called out to the glacier above Saas-Fee

In a statement, Air Zermatt confirmed that an “extraordinary mission” had occurred on July 4 on the Fee Glacier above the Swiss ski resort of Saas-Fee. According to the report, a man was hiking on the glacier with his pet Chihuahua, when he accidentally fell through a snow bridge into an eight-metre-deep crevasse.

Luckily, the injured man was able to use an amateur walkie-talkie to contact a person nearby, who then informed rescuers at Air Zermatt. Unfortunately, trying to find the man was like looking for a polar bear in a snowstorm: “The search for the site of the collapse proved difficult. The glacier was vast, and the hole was barely visible,” Air Zermatt noted.

Chihuahua helps save owner's life in the Swiss Alps

Luckily, hopping along a nearby rock was the Chihuahua. Rescuers were able to spot the dog, who was sitting “directly next to the collapsed hole through which the man had fallen into the crevasse”. “Thanks to the dog's behaviour, the crew was able to pinpoint the exact accident site. The rescuers abseiled down to the injured man and were able to rescue him.”

“The little dog remained steady throughout the entire operation, closely following every move of the rescue specialists. It's fair to say that his behaviour contributed significantly to the successful rescue,” Air Zermatt noted, adding that it’s likely the dog saved the man’s life. The patient and the “four-legged hero” were both airlifted to hospital, and are both recovering.

Image: Air Zermatt