Canadian skyrunner Kalie McCrystal goes missing on the Matterhorn
Thirty-eight-year-old Canadian skyrunning athlete Kalie McCrystal has gone missing on the Matterhorn, on the border between Switzerland and Italy. She was undertaking a reconnaissance and training outing ahead of an attempt to set a record for ascending and descending the mountain, The Guardian reports.
She was last seen on the Italian side
McCrystal is from Squamish in the Canadian province of British Columbia. According to the Skyrunner World Series, she was last seen on Tuesday after reaching the summit of the Matterhorn and descending on the Italian side of the mountain.
The athlete was last seen near a mountain refuge at an altitude of approximately 12,500 feet, or about 3,810 metres. The Skyrunner World Series said that there had been no contact with her since then and that nobody had seen or heard from her.
Aerial search suspended
On Friday, rescuers suspended the helicopter search after being unable to find any trace of the athlete.
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Skyrunning involves running and moving through mountainous terrain with elements of climbing at altitudes above 6,600 feet, or approximately 2,010 metres. McCrystal planned to climb and descend the Matterhorn in less than five hours.
The athlete had previously climbed the Matterhorn and, according to the Skyrunner World Series, had many years of experience travelling in high mountains and technical mountain terrain. Her friend and mountain runner Duncan O'Regan told CBC that the goal matched McCrystal's abilities and that she felt confident on such terrain.
McCrystal has set several skyrunning records in Canada and Europe. She also works as a lawyer and an employee of Capilano University in North Vancouver.
