While it's common to see presidents and high-ranking officials get airlifted to safety in snazzy helicopters, in Switzerland, the privilege is also afforded to the alpine nation’s bovine population. A new video released by the emergency services has shown a Swiss cow being hoisted into the heavens by a helicopter on her way to get medical treatment.
The cow, whose name is Goddess, was airlifted to safety after she broke her leg while grazing in the mountains near Evolène, Canton Valais. The cow experts among us will recognise the two-year-old as being an Eringer or Hérens - a local cow bred in the canton to participate in fighting competitions in the nearby town of Hérens.
While perhaps better known for fishing people out of avalanches and rescuing dangling rock climbers, Glaciers Air stepped in to help the stricken animal. In a jiffy, the cow was attached to the helicopter and was flown to safety where she is now receiving treatment.
This isn’t the first time a flying Swiss cow has made the rounds on the internet and made it into the headlines. Last year, a similar operation went viral after the cow was pictured spinning on the line as it made its way along the valley.