The hiker was walking in the Swiss Alps, when he "suddenly broke through the snow bridge", explains helicopter company Air Zermatt,
Trapped in a glacier at 3,200 metres elevation, the rescue team feared they may never find him. Little did they know, his devoted companion would step up to save the day.
The remarkable rescue
Using an amateur walkie-talkie, the hiker had tried to call for help. But the breadth of the glacier and relatively small hole, made a rescue mission almost impossible.
Helicopters scanned the terrain, desperately searching for any sign of life.
Suddenly, one of the team spotted something moving on a rock below... It was the hiker's Papillon, bravely sitting watch over the gap in the ice.
The dog was freezing, yet he never considered leaving his human's side.
The sighting was enough for the team to lower the helicopter, before pulling the man to safety. He was flown to a local hospital, where he went on to make a full recovery.
“The dog is a four-legged hero who may have saved his master’s life in a life-threatening situation” Air Zermatt said, praising the brave dog for his extraordinary actions.
