Date of Event: 10/6/2012
Canyon involved: Fallenbach
Region: Amden
Country: Switzerland
Submitted by: Danielle Monroy
Source: Media reports from bbc.com and 20min.ch
Injury: Fatality
Cause: Flash flood
Description of Event: Two women, aged 24 and 23, were part of a commercially guided group caught in a flash flood in the canyon. The bodies of the two women were found several hours after being swept downstream, after a helicopter search had to be called off due to bad weather. Three members of the group were taken to hospital with minor injuries. A second group was also in the canyon at the time of the accident, but all members of that group were safely rescued.
A criminal investigation for negligent homicide in this incident was unable to determine the exact cause of the flash flood. Possible factors included heavy local rainfall, natural dams giving way, and water released from underground chambers. The investigation concluded that the sudden rise in water was unforeseeable. Note that that some of the local guide services had ceased operations for the season, due to the unpredictability of October weather in the region.