Canadian athlete Kalie McCrystal has been reported missing while preparing for a record attempt in the Alps. McCrystal, from Squamish, British Columbia, was on a training session for an attempt to ascend and descend the Matterhorn, which stands at 14,692 ft (4,478m) on the Swiss-Italian border.
The 38-year-old was last seen on Tuesday after reaching the Matterhorn’s summit and descending the Italian side of the mountain. The last sighting was near a shelter at an altitude of approximately 12,500 ft, according to the Skyrunner World Series. No further contact has been made with her since then.
A helicopter search for McCrystal was called off on Friday after rescuers were unable to find any trace of the athlete. McCrystal has previous experience climbing the Matterhorn and is described by the Skyrunner World Series as having "many years of experience in high-altitude and technical mountain terrain."