Found an error?
Report now
Chihuahua Philipp: Teierian hero rescues his master.
Air Zermatt
A man falls into a crevasse, but his dog Philipp becomes a hero by leading the rescuers to the scene of the accident. In the podcast, Jan explains how his faithful companion saved his life.
A dramatic incident occurred at the beginning of July on the Fee Glacier near Saas-Fee VS when Jan fell into a deep crevasse. His little dog Philipp, a Chihuahua with Papillon parts, became an unexpected hero by leading the rescue workers to the scene of the accident.
Jan shares his experiences in Air Zermatt's "Alpha Zulu" podcast and describes how the animal saved his life. Jan, who is originally from the Czech Republic and has lived in Saas-Fee since June, got the Chihuahua from his father two years ago.
The two are inseparable and often go on long hikes. On a warm day in July, they set off on a hike to Längflue. Jan wanted to get closer to the glacier when he suddenly fell eight meters into a crevasse. Fortunately, he landed on an ice bridge, which saved him from another fall, although he dislocated his shoulder.
While Jan was trapped in the crevasse, he could hear Philipp howling outside. Jan tried to call for help using a walkie-talkie, but initially without success. Eventually, a tourist heard his call for help and alerted the rescue services.
Air Zermatt immediately launched a search operation with a helicopter, but initially had to turn back due to a lack of fuel. After 40 minutes of fruitless searching, a rescue specialist finally discovered Philipp standing on a rock.
The rescuers use a tripod to get his master Jan out of the crevice. Philipp looks on.
Air Zermatt
The helicopter flew closer and found the hole into which Jan had fallen. The rescuers used a tripod to get Jan out of the crevasse. He was hypothermic and wet, but relieved when he was finally rescued. Philipp also showed his joy by dancing around Jan in the snow.
Jan is immensely grateful to his dog and says he would do the same for Philipp if he were in distress. This extraordinary rescue story shows how important it is to think creatively during rescue missions, as Air Zermatt media spokesman Bruno Kalbermatten emphasizes to "20 Minuten": "It has never happened before that a dog leads us to a patient like this."
