Swiss Hiker Dies on Mount Fuji; 99-Year-Old Rescued

A Swiss man, identified as Bernhard Sutter, the managing director of the assisted dying company EXIT, died after losing consciousness while hiking Mount Fuji on Friday. Despite resuscitation efforts and being taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

This incident marks the second fatality of the climbing season, which began on July 1, following the death of a 65-year-old Japanese man on July 17. In a separate incident, 99-year-old Tome Sagawa was rescued after injuring herself while attempting to scale the mountain and spending the night in a hut.

Authorities have tightened access rules to Mount Fuji, which stands at 3,776 meters, due to overtourism and safety incidents involving climbers. Police have urged hikers to consider their physical fitness and weather conditions before embarking on the trek.

Last year, over 200,000 people climbed the mountain, with nine deaths reported in the 2024 season.