The search by helicopter for Canadian mountain runner Kalie McCrystal has been stopped following multiple aerial scans of the Italian side of the Matterhorn that failed to find the 38-year-old athlete and lawyer from Squamish, B.C.
The helicopter operation was called off after an entire day of searching from the air on Thursday yielded no sign of her.
McCrystal was last sighted on Tuesday near the Jean-Antoine Carrel hut at an altitude of around 3,830 meters as she headed towards the summit.
Initially, rescuers used a large air ambulance helicopter before switching to a smaller aircraft that could get closer to the mountain’s steep rock faces and narrow gullies.
Valerio Segor of the Valle d’Aosta mountain rescue service informed CBC, “We switched to a much smaller helicopter that can approach the cliffs and look into the couloirs. However, nothing was spotted.”
The most recent confirmed interaction occurred when a mountain guide crossed paths with McCrystal above the Carrel hut.
The Matterhorn, one of the most iconic peaks in the Alps, stands at 4,478 meters high and straddles Italy and Switzerland.
McCrystal had been staying in the Cervinia region of northwestern Italy, preparing for an endeavor to climb and descend the Matterhorn in under five hours via the Lion Ridge, the primary route from the Italian side.
Her disappearance triggered an extensive search of the mountain, including steep gullies, cliff bands, and sections of the route on both the Italian and Swiss sides.
Efforts to detect a signal from McCrystal’s cellphone were unsuccessful.
McCrystal, a prominent skyrunner in Canada, competes in challenging mountain races at high altitudes. She recently completed a solo ascent and descent of the Matterhorn via the Swiss Hörnli Ridge in just under seven hours.
Although the dedicated helicopter search has been called off, mountain guides are still actively looking for any signs that could lead to a breakthrough in the search efforts.
Rescuers are awaiting further details from the police to potentially restart a more focused search operation.
Global Affairs Canada has been contacted for a response by CBC News.
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