Why are Apache attack helicopters flying over Switzerland?
By Jan de Boer
As the people of Canton Vaud and Valais were going about their business on Thursday morning, four Apache attack helicopters flew overhead towards Geneva, having come through the mountains. The mysterious and heavily armed helicopters, which are not used by the Swiss Airforce, sparked confusion among the police and the wider public, as they flew across the sky unchallenged.
Heavily armed helicopters fly over Geneva and Valais
Shortly before noon on Thursday, locals in areas around Lake Geneva looked up to see a formation of four Apache helicopters. The person who identified the group noted that helicopters of this type are not used by the Swiss armed forces, further adding to the mystery.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine and the end of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the emergence of four heavily armed helicopters that couldn't easily be identified was a source of great concern. The person who identified the aircraft, who goes by the pseudonym GM, immediately contacted colleagues in the emergency services who were at the WEF.
Even the Swiss police in Davos could not explain what the helicopters were doing. Thankfully, it was confirmed that only fighter jets from the Swiss Air Force were near the event. Eventually, however, the real truth was discovered.
Mysterious Apache helicopters in Switzerland were allowed to fly through
According to Skyguide, the four Apache helicopters belonged to the British Armed Forces, who had been given permission by the government to cross the mountains of Valais in the direction of Geneva. The helicopters left Swiss airspace soon after they were spotted.
Blick found that the helicopters were travelling from Slovenia to Great Britain. While only a brief encounter and one that was soon resolved, the sight of heavily armed foreign forces within your border will always be a cause for alarm.
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Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016.
While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more