An extreme sports lover has died after falling several hundred metres down the Matterhorn.
Luca Bernini was skiing down the mountain’s infamous steep east face when the tragedy happened.
It’s not clear what caused the 35-year-old to fall, but it’s believed he may have lost his balance or slipped.
READ MORE: Wind causes school ROOF to detach and ‘crush’ pupil
The horror unfolded yesterday (4 Jun) morning.
The Alps’ most famous mountain is unusually snow-laden for this time of year.
Before putting on their skis, Bernini and a friend had climbed up to an altitude of 4,050m (13,287 ft).
It was the friend who raised the alarm after the accident, as reported on NeedToKnow.
Swiss rescuers, who arrived on the scene by helicopter and found Bernini, were unable to revive him.
Skiing down the Matterhorn’s east face is only for the most experienced athletes, due to its 55-degree sections on thin snow overlying rocks.
Bernini was an accomplished skier and passionate about high-altitude sports.
He worked as a free-climbing instructor at the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) in his hometown of Piacenza, Italy.
Police and prosecutors in Sion, Switzerland, are investigating the incident.
Antonio Vaccari of the CAI told local media: “In addition to climbing, Luca Bernini had always demonstrated great skills on snow and ice, even tackling ice climbing on waterfalls.
“He was a cautious guy and we still don’t know exactly what happened.”
Bernini’s Instagram bio reads: “Born 1989.
“Living since then.
“I’ll update at the time of departure.”
READ MORE: Driver scrambles out of car seconds before it tumbles down mountain
