Swiss Municipalities Face Unpaid Rescue Costs for Foreign High-Risk Sports Tourists
Several Swiss municipalities are grappling with unpaid rescue and hospital costs incurred due to accidents involving foreign guests participating in high-risk sports. The municipalities have to bear these expenses when insurance coverage is insufficient or non-existent.
The municipality of Flims in canton Graubünden faces unpaid rescue costs every few years, ranging from CHF2,000 to CHF5,000. Similar situations occur in Alpthal, canton Schwyz, where a destitute foreign pilgrim's hospital bill exceeded CHF100,000. Engelberg, canton Obwalden, incurs smaller amounts, between CHF2,000 and CHF4,000 annually.
The Air-Glaciers rescue service writes off an average of CHF150,000 per year due to unpaid amounts. The average cost of a rescue mission is CHF3,600, with complex rescues reaching up to CHF5,000 or more. If a tourist requires immediate assistance, the canton of residence must pay the rescue or hospital costs, sometimes passed on to municipalities.
While the income from tourism far exceeds these unpaid costs, the municipalities still have to bear the financial burden. Switzerland's popularity as a destination for high-risk sports contributes to this issue, with foreign guests' rescue and hospital costs sometimes left unpaid. The specific municipalities charging costs for unpaid emergency and hospital fees are not publicly listed in available data.
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