59 | Edward’s Courage
An exhilarating heli-skiing trip in the breathtaking Swiss Alps that takes a sudden, terrifying turn. as a helicopter carrying a group of adventurers, crashed into the Petit Combin peak. Despite the chaos and danger, and just before the aircraft plunged down the mountainside, one man managed to push two British brothers out of harm's way, and thus saving their lives.
This crash then triggered an avalanche, and the hero of this story found himself not buried under the snow, but instead, injured and stranded on a narrow ledge. Facing the harsh alpine elements, rescue teams battled the treacherous conditions trying to locate survivors before more tragedy struck.
Welcome back to tragedy with a view.
I am your host Kayla, and we are doing another solo episode. I think you should expect some more solo episodes as my schedule is kind of crazy right now. My preference is to get you the content rather than sit and wait with it until I can coordinate some time to get with a co-host.
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As the sun was rising over the mountains casting their sharp and jagged shadows to the ground below, a group of __ men boarded a helicopter operated by Air Glaciers on April 2, 2024.
You heard that correctly - this occurred less than a year ago.
On board were Edward Courage, Guy and Ted Hutchings, Gerome Lovey, Adam George and James Goff. Jerome was the helicopter pilot and Adam was acting as a guide for Edward, Guy, Ted and James. Their destination was the peak of Petit Combin, in the swiss alps for a heliskiing tour.
Petit Combin is a mountain in the swiss alps that is located near Valais, which is a territory or state in switzerland, also known as a canton. Fun fact: if you have read a court of thorns and roses series by Sarah J Maas - this area is also home to Mount Zermatt which is the inspiration for Valaris in the story.
Moving on: Petit Combin is a remote and challenging peak which is why a helicopter was necessary to access the peak. Standing at 3663 meters or 12018 feet, the mountain is part of the Grand Combin Massif and this area is very popular for those who can afford the price tag of heliskiing.
This mountain is known for its breathtaking views and the variety of climbing and skiing opportunities it offers throughout the year. It's a favorite among alpinists and adventure seekers looking to experience the beauty and challenge of the Swiss Alps. Which, the siss alps is the perfect place to go to combine a love for beauty and adventure.
Petit Combin offers a variety of skiing routes, catering to both experienced and adventurous skiers.
The South Flank route provides a long and rewarding descent through varied terrain.
The Northeast Ridge route offers a scenic and challenging ski from the Cabane Brunet. And the North Ridge (Arête Centrale) is another demanding route from the Cabane Brunet, known for its stunning views and technical skiing.
Chassoure-Tortin Run is a route that offers a mix of rocky traverses and moguls.
Col des Gentianes to Tortin is a long and moguled run that provides a great workout and a sense of accomplishment.
The Mont Gele Summit route allows skiers to between south-facing routes to La Chaux or the long winding route back to Tortin from their starting point on the summit.
These routes offer a mix of powder bowls, tree skiing, couloirs, and moguls, providing a diverse and exciting skiing experience
And then we have the North Wall. This route is known for its steep, icy terrain and offers a thrilling descent. It's a favorite among expert skiers looking for a challenge.
Exactly the challenge that Edward, Ted, Guy and James were paying for. Coming in at around 6,140 Swiss Franc or 6,750 USD, there are cheaper options, but the cost was only a part of what these men were after.
Essentially, these men were after a high adrenaline adventure and that is exactly what they were going to get.
As the helicopter approached the landing site, the men had been informed of what to expect.
The north wall is a great ice climbing wall as well as a route for skiers. The north wall has 1400 meters or nearly 4600 feet of vertical distance that is equally exhilarating and rewarding.
Adding to that, Heli-skiing is a form of off-trail, downhill skiing where skiers are transported to remote, often pristine mountain slopes by a helicopter. This allows them to access areas that are otherwise difficult or impossible to reach by the traditional ski lifts.
Once dropped off at the peak, Professional guides accompany skiers to ensure safety and help navigate the terrain, which typically takes place on unmarked and unpatrolled slopes, offering a mix of deep powder, untouched snow, and natural obstacles. Heli-skiing is generally recommended for experienced skiers because of the challenging and variable conditions.
Not to mention, like on the North Wall, the very heavy degree of angles the routes contain to get to the base of the route.
And people love this. Why? Skiers can enjoy breathtaking, untouched landscapes, the snow is often deep, light, and untracked, providing an ideal skiing experience and the thrill of being dropped into remote wilderness adds an element of adventure and excitement.
Of course, safety precautions are taken wherever they can, but due to the nature of the terrain, there is a higher risk of avalanches. To combat this, guides are equipped with safety gear and trained in avalanche rescue. But, trips can be affected by weather conditions, and it's essential that participants are prepared for sudden changes.
As we already mentioned, this heli-skiing trip was operated by Air Glaciers, which is a local helicopter company in the Swiss Alps. They specialize in providing heli-skiing experiences in the region, taking skiers to remote and challenging terrains. They also offer crafts and pilots for assistance in rescues as needed. So while the business is mostly in pleasure and fun - they do have a degree of seriousness about them.
So as we already mentioned, there were 6 men in the helicopter on April 2.
Piloted by Jerome Lovey, a 34-year-old helicopter pilot from Switzerland. He had a passion for aviation and began his career as a pilot in 2017, obtaining his license and completing additional training in mountain landings. Before joining Air Glaciers, he worked as a flying instructor and piloted jobs in St. Tropez.
Lovey was known for his dedication to safety and this would help to ensure that he would always come home to his wife, Melanie and his daughters, Ava who was 3 and Romy who was 1. But his love for the mountains always seemed to call to him and he seemed to never be able to deny this.
Similarly, their guide was Adam George, 45-year-old American mountain and ski guide from New Hampshire. He was an experienced mountaineer and climber, known for his expertise in navigating challenging terrains.
He fiercely loved his wife, Caroline, who is also a mountain guide, and their young daughter, Olivia. Adam had a passion for the mountains and he was avidly dedicated to guiding other in skiing and climbing adventures.
And then we have the skiers, Edward Courage: who is the heir to Courage Brewing which was an English brewery founded in 1787 in London and was then acquired by Scottish and Newcastle in 1995.
He was 68 years old and had been skiing for many years and loved to challenge himself and take on new adventures and this joy he felt when skiing was maximized when he started heliskiing.
Guy Hutchings and Ted Hutchings were brothers, from Cobham Surrey and were both avid skiers. Guy was 23 years old and studied product design and engineering at the University of Nottingham. With his passion for adventure sports, he had secured a job as a junior engineer for the Alpine F1 racing team.
Ted, Guy’s 18 year old brother was also an avid skier and was looking forward to testing his skills with his brother on this heli-skiing tour.
Similarly, the 34 year old James Goff was looking forward to the experience and adding to his repertoire as an adventure skier.
It was a crisp, early morning, and the excitement of a heli-skiing adventure in the Swiss Alps was palpable. Edward, sat in the helicopter with a sense of anticipation. Seated next to him, Guy and Ted sat quietly, with Adam next to them, and Jerome climbed into the pilot's seat.
It was about 9:30 AM when the helicopter finally left the ground and soared above the majestic peaks, heading toward the remote and pristine slopes. Just as they were approaching their landing spot, disaster struck. It is hard to tell exactly what happened - if it was just a gust of wind, or if Jerome was slightly off center, but as they were about to land the helicopter collided with the rocky face of the North Wall near the peak of Petit Combin. This sudden and violent impact of the helicopter thrown against the rock face caused confusion and panic and then chaos ensued.
The aircraft plummeted, triggering an avalanche that swallowed the craft.
In the midst of the terror, Edward's instincts took over.
Despite the searing pain from his shattered collarbone and broken ribs, he found the strength to act. He pushed Guy and Ted out of the helicopter, ensuring they would be safe at least from the helicopter’s fall.
The next few hours were a blur of agony and fear. Edward, was thrown from the helicopter as it tumbled down the slope with the snow, and found himself facing a crevasse.
Stranded on a narrow ledge, Edward fought to stay conscious. The threat of falling further weighed as heavy on him as his questions about those who he knew were still in the helicopter.
The biting cold seeped through his clothes, and his injuries made every breath a struggle. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as he clung to life, hoping against hope that help would come.
Air Glaciers was quick to detect that something was wrong. When the helicopter failed to arrive at it’s intended destination and no one checked in as scheduled, they initiated a search immediately.
And then, the chilling news came in, eyewitnesses in the area reported seeing the helicopter crash and the subsequent avalanche. This, though, prompted a second immediate response from local rescue services.
The combination of the missing helicopter, eyewitness accounts, and the company's alert led to the swift mobilization of rescue efforts, which is one of the important factors leading to positive outcomes of a search and rescue situation.
But the rescuers had no idea what they were going to be arriving at when they got to the mountain.
Back on the mountain, Edward had fallen 1,640 down the mountain as the avalanche ripped and tumbled the crash. Then as he was swallowed by the crevasse, he survived another 100 foot fall.
The helicopter, as it slid over the opening, was swallowed by the crevasse. All of this, the avalanche debris left behind, and the fact that Edward was on a ledge inside the crevasse made locating him or any other survivors a difficult task.
Not to mention the nearly vertical terrain that was the north wall of the mountain.
The first group to actually learn of the crash was KWRO which is a rescue organization and they alerted Air Zermatt shortly before 10:00 AM. Air zermatt immediately dispatched three helicopters from bases nearby, carrying a total of 9 rescue specialist
Edward's position on the ledge was precarious and dangerous, making it challenging for the rescue teams to reach him, let alone extract him safely.
Once they arrived on scene, the teams were using avalanche beacons and GPS trackers to try to locate where the helicopter had landed while they navigated through the avalanche debris. As they continued, though, the rescue teams began to find that the rescue was not just challenging but extremely complex.
Guy and Ted were found relatively close to each other under the snow. After Edward had pushed them from the helicopter, they had also got swept up in the avalanche, but the quick response of the organizations around them allowed them to be located quickly and dug out.
One helicopter lifted the brothers to a nearby hospital for treatment. Guy had suffered from minor fractures and severe bruises and contusions and while none of his injuries required surgery, he was bed-bound for a time.
Ted had fewer injuries than Guy, with being able to walk away with some minor injuries and bruising.
Both Guy and Ted were released from the hospital after a short stay and expected to make full recoveries.
Things for Edward though, were a little more complicated. Because he had fallen into the crevasse with the wreckage, it took much more time for the rescuers to locate him on the narrow ledge where he was clinging to his life.
One of the avalanche transceivers was what helped the rescuers locate him, and after climbing down, they found Edward was in need of urgent medical treatment. Using a winch to pull him to safety, he was also loaded onto a helicopter and airlifted to a local hospital.
Edward suffered a shattered collarbone due to the impact of the crash and subsequent fall. He also sustained multiple broken ribs, which made breathing difficult and required immediate medical attention.
Despite their injuries, the quick response and medical care they received were crucial in their survival and recovery. Edward’s heroic actions undoubtedly saved the lives of Guy and Ted.
The local area is well stocked to handle rescues and challenges along the way. In this particular instinct, not only did Air Glacier have the means to manage their own search and rescues but the local authorities and community came together as well.
The Valais regional police force and other local agencies coordinated the rescue efforts to help support the rescue teams, the community was there to support their needs and offered their assistance as best they could.
The combined efforts of these organizations and individuals were crucial in saving the lives of Guy and Ted Hutchings and providing immediate medical care to Edward Courage. The bravery and dedication of the rescue teams were widely praised.
It took all of 5 hours for Edward, Guy and Ted to be removed from the mountain and treated for their injuries. But in the same span of time, the news that Jerome, James and Adam had perished in the accident weighed down those around them.
Courage's quick thinking and bravery saved the lives of Guy and Ted Hutchings, and he has been praised by the local community and his friends for his selfless actions.
The Hutchings family has expressed their gratitude and relief that Guy and Ted survived, though they are mourning the loss of the others involved in the accident
The sound of helicopter blades slicing through the air brings mixed feelings to those in need. The sound of hope and survival, and dread for those who will never rise from their grave on the mountain.
As he recovered in the hospital, Edward reflected on the incredible series of events. His thoughts were with the brave souls they had lost—Jerome, Adam, and James —and with the Hutchings brothers, whose lives he had saved. The experience was a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the extraordinary capacity for courage and selflessness in the face of adversity.
Edward Courage's story is a profound testament to human bravery and resilience. His actions, coupled with the unwavering efforts of the rescue teams, underscore the extraordinary lengths to which people will go to save lives and overcome adversity. In the face of unimaginable challenges, both Edward and his rescuers demonstrated unparalleled courage and determination, leaving a legacy of heroism that will be remembered and honored for years to come.
As always, thank you for listening. For those listening who may have known or loved the victims in this story, my heart is with you for the loss of their light in this world.
Until next time.
Sources:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-brewery-heir-unveiled-hero-32510556
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/verbier-helicopter-crash-courage-brewery-heir-saves-two-skiers/
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/brit-survives-after-helicopter-crashes-32506506
https://people.com/british-skier-saves-2-brothers-during-mountain-helicopter-crash-8624642
https://www.skimag.com/news/swiss-helicopter-crash-kills-three/
https://gripped.com/news/helicopter-crash-leaves-three-dead-in-alps/
https://planetski.eu/2024/04/03/three-dead-three-injured-in-helicopter-crash-near-verbier/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13264233/Tourist-helicopter-crash-Alps-three-dead.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68738916.amp
https://www.redbull.com/us-en/what-is-heli-skiing
