A 53-year-old Dutch backpacker was killed Wednesday in an accident at the foot of the Langgletscher in the region in the Blatten Löschental in the canton of Valais. High temperatures caused enough snowmelt for a large stone to dislodge from the glacier and fall, striking the man on the head. He died at the scene.

A hiker who was with him also suffered minor injuries, police said. He was transported by helicopter to hospital in Visp.