Five big news stories from Switzerland you need to know about this week
Tragic accidents in the Swiss Alps and the growing foreign population are among the Swiss news The Local reported this week. You can catch up on everything in this weekly roundup.
Three people killed in a massive avalanche
A 15-year-old boy from the United States had died, along with two adults, in an avalanche that hit in the vicinity of Zermatt, a ski resort in Valais Alps.
WATCH: Three or more individuals are currently unaccounted for following an avalanche in close proximity to the Zermatt ski resort in Switzerland. pic.twitter.com/7uc27wG8fb
— Insider Corner (@insiderscorner) April 1, 2024
Of the four people pulled out of the snow, only one was still alive, a 20-year-old Swiss man who was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital.
READ ALSO: US teenager among three killed in Swiss avalanche
And another tragedy struck in the mountains:
A deadly helicopter crash claims three lives
Three people, including a Canadian woman, were killed and three others injured in a helicopter crash on the Petit Combin mountain in the Swiss Alps.
The accident happened at a landing site during a heliski drop-off, after the aircraft slid off a 3,668-metre-high slope in canton Valais.
READ ALSO: Three killed in Swiss Alps helicopter crash
SWISS airline vows to maintain the Geneva-Zurich flights
Despite complaints over the environmental impact of the 30-minute flight, the CEO of Switzerland’s flagship carrier said the air shuttle between the two hubs will continue.
It is used primarily by passengers from the French-speaking part of the country who are making a connection to international flights in Zurich.
READ ALSO : Why flights between Geneva and Zurich are so controversial
Small towns make better financial sense in Switzerland
Even though most of Switzerland’s population live in or near big cities, a new study has shown that small and medium-sized communities are a better option.
That’s because they are less expensive overall in terms of rents, property prices, taxes, health insurance premiums, as well as commuting costs.
READ ALSO: Why Switzerland's smaller towns trump bigger cities
Switzerland’s foreign population is growing
In 2023, 241,700 people immigrated to Switzerland, an increase of 38.2 percent compared to 2022.
Most of them came from Germany, Italy, and France, along with other EU countries.
Having doubled between 2022 and 2023 from 2.3 to 5.2 percent, foreign residents have experienced faster growth than Swiss population.
READ ALSO : Understanding Switzerland's growing foreign population
There is more news this week:
April has just began, and with warmer weather underway, you can enjoy a number of fun activities in Switzerland:
READ ALSO: Six things you should do in Switzerland this April
Also, if you are wondering what’s ahead for the rest of the month, this article provides the answers.
Last but not least, have you ever wondered why some people are successful in their bid for Swiss citizenship, while others fail?
Turns out, there are some (decidedly arbitrary) reasons at play:
READ ALSO: The bizarre reasons people have been denied Swiss citizenship
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Three people killed in a massive avalanche
A 15-year-old boy from the United States had died, along with two adults, in an avalanche that hit in the vicinity of Zermatt, a ski resort in Valais Alps.
WATCH: Three or more individuals are currently unaccounted for following an avalanche in close proximity to the Zermatt ski resort in Switzerland. pic.twitter.com/7uc27wG8fb
— Insider Corner (@insiderscorner) April 1, 2024
Of the four people pulled out of the snow, only one was still alive, a 20-year-old Swiss man who was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital.
READ ALSO: US teenager among three killed in Swiss avalanche
And another tragedy struck in the mountains:
A deadly helicopter crash claims three lives
Three people, including a Canadian woman, were killed and three others injured in a helicopter crash on the Petit Combin mountain in the Swiss Alps.
The accident happened at a landing site during a heliski drop-off, after the aircraft slid off a 3,668-metre-high slope in canton Valais.
READ ALSO: Three killed in Swiss Alps helicopter crash
SWISS airline vows to maintain the Geneva-Zurich flights
Despite complaints over the environmental impact of the 30-minute flight, the CEO of Switzerland’s flagship carrier said the air shuttle between the two hubs will continue.
It is used primarily by passengers from the French-speaking part of the country who are making a connection to international flights in Zurich.
READ ALSO : Why flights between Geneva and Zurich are so controversial
Small towns make better financial sense in Switzerland
Even though most of Switzerland’s population live in or near big cities, a new study has shown that small and medium-sized communities are a better option.
That’s because they are less expensive overall in terms of rents, property prices, taxes, health insurance premiums, as well as commuting costs.
READ ALSO: Why Switzerland's smaller towns trump bigger cities
Switzerland’s foreign population is growing
In 2023, 241,700 people immigrated to Switzerland, an increase of 38.2 percent compared to 2022.
Most of them came from Germany, Italy, and France, along with other EU countries.
Having doubled between 2022 and 2023 from 2.3 to 5.2 percent, foreign residents have experienced faster growth than Swiss population.
READ ALSO : Understanding Switzerland's growing foreign population
There is more news this week:
April has just began, and with warmer weather underway, you can enjoy a number of fun activities in Switzerland:
READ ALSO: Six things you should do in Switzerland this April
Also, if you are wondering what’s ahead for the rest of the month, this article provides the answers.
Last but not least, have you ever wondered why some people are successful in their bid for Swiss citizenship, while others fail?
Turns out, there are some (decidedly arbitrary) reasons at play:
READ ALSO: The bizarre reasons people have been denied Swiss citizenship
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