Overview

• Eliot Dänzer, a 22-year-old freeride snowboarding prodigy, was killed in a May 17 avalanche on the Eiger's West flank above Grindelwald-Wengen.
• The avalanche struck at 13:45, affecting seven individuals; two, including Dänzer, died, while five others sustained injuries.
• Dänzer, the 2019 junior world champion, had recently finished third in the FWT Challenger Series and was on the brink of Freeride World Tour qualification.
• A large-scale rescue operation was conducted involving Swiss Alpine Rescue, Bern Cantonal Police, helicopters, and avalanche rescue dogs.
• Tributes have poured in from the freeride community, with Nendaz Freeride and the Freeride World Tour honoring Dänzer's talent, humility, and passion, and expressing condolences to his family and partner.