Bodies of Missing Belgian Hikers Found After 34 Years in Swiss Alps
The remains of two Belgian hikers who disappeared in the Swiss Alps 34 years ago have been discovered on the Triftgletscher (Trift Glacier) near Saas-Grund in the Valais canton of Switzerland. Identification papers found near the bodies suggest they belong to the two men from the Kempen region of Belgium who vanished during a mountain trek in September 1992.
According to VRT NWS, local police informed the families of the discovery on Friday, July 31, 2026. DNA samples provided by family members are currently being analyzed, and only after these tests are completed can the remains be officially identified and released to the families.
The Disappearance
The two hikers, from the town of Beerse in the Antwerp province of Flanders, departed on the morning of September 4, 1992, from the Weissmieshutte at 2,726 meters altitude. Their planned route took them toward the Almagellerhutte, with the goal of summiting the Weissmies, a 4,017-meter peak in the Valais Alps.
As Het Laatste Nieuws reported, the hikers encountered particularly bad weather conditions during their trek and never reached their destination. An initial helicopter search yielded nothing, and in January 1993, a hiker discovered a climbing backpack on the Triftgletscher—an important clue, but the men were not found.
A second search in August 1994, conducted by a team of Belgian speleologists investigating the crevasses around where the backpack was found, also remained unsuccessful. For more than three decades, the fate of the two men remained a mystery.
Discovery on the Glacier
The Triftgletscher, where the remains were found, is a glacier on the right side of the Saas valley in the Weissmies group of the eastern Valais Alps. According to Wikipedia, the glacier is approximately 2.5 kilometers long, covers an area of about 2 square kilometers, and is known for its deep crevasses that can be tens of meters deep.
The Valais Cantonal Police confirmed that the identity of the found persons is currently being clarified, stating: “Only after the investigations are completed can the persons be officially identified and handed over to their families.”
The families of the two hikers, who have waited 34 years for answers, expressed their desire for privacy during this difficult period, stating: “The families involved wish to experience this difficult period in peace.”
A Growing Phenomenon
The discovery is part of a broader trend of melting glaciers revealing the remains of missing persons across the Alps. Climate change has accelerated glacier retreat, exposing human remains and artifacts that have been frozen for decades.
As Outside Online reported, roughly 200 people have disappeared in the mountains of the Valais canton alone. In July 2023, the body of a German climber who disappeared in 1986 was found on the Theodul Glacier near Zermatt, identified through DNA testing. In 2022, multiple discoveries were made, including a mummified body in 1980s clothing on the Stockji Glacier and skeletal remains on the Chessjen Glacier.
The Weissmies, the mountain the two Belgians were attempting to summit, stands at 4,011 meters and was first climbed in August 1855. Its normal route goes from the Weissmieshutte over the crevassed Triftgletscher and the northwest flank—the very route the two hikers took in 1992.
What’s Next
While the discovery brings potential closure to the families after 34 years of uncertainty, official confirmation still awaits DNA testing. The Valais Cantonal Police have not announced when the results will be completed.
The case highlights how climate change is literally reshaping the Alps, revealing long-buried secrets of the mountains. For the families of the two Belgian hikers, the wait for answers may finally be coming to an end, though the emotional impact of such a discovery after so many years is profound.
As one reader commented on the HLN article: “The bodies were likely released that way [by glacier melting]. Hopefully the family finds comfort that they died during their passion.”