Canadian athlete Kalie McCrystal has gone missing during preparations for a record attempt in the Alps. McCrystal, hailing from Squamish, British Columbia, was engaged in a reconnaissance training session for her goal of ascending and descending the Matterhorn, which stands at 14,692 ft (4,478m) on the Swiss-Italian border.

The Skyrunner World Series reported that the 38-year-old was last seen on Tuesday after reaching the summit of the Matterhorn. She was descending the Italian side when she was last spotted near a shelter at approximately 12,500 ft.

• No further contact has been made since that sighting.
• A helicopter search was called off on Friday after rescuers found no trace of her.

Skyrunning requires athletes to run and scramble at altitudes above 6,600 ft. McCrystal aimed to complete her Matterhorn ascent and descent in under five hours during her record attempt. With extensive experience in high-altitude and technical mountain terrain, McCrystal had previously climbed the Matterhorn successfully.

A friend, Duncan O’Regan, expressed confidence in her abilities, stating, "I know that this objective was well within her capabilities. She’s done much more difficult things, and this is not something that is beyond her capabilities. She’s comfortable in this terrain."

McCrystal holds several skyrunning records in Canada and Europe and works as a lawyer and staff member at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Jason Dewling, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, shared the institution's thoughts with her family, friends, and colleagues during this challenging time.