Zurich, Switzerland – It was pouring rain. The wind was howling in the Alps. And then, a deafening explosion rang out in the snow-capped mountains. The helicopter carrying Roger Federer – the world’s tennis legend – exploded in mid-air, leaving a column of black smoke and the news of his death that shocked the world.
“When we arrived at the scene… there were no signs of life. Nothing,” – a doctor on duty from the Swiss rescue team choked up at a press conference at 7:45 p.m. (local time).
The incident happened at around 5:12 p.m., when Federer left Zurich to attend a charity event in Lucerne, about 130 kilometers away. The Bell 429 private helicopter – the type usually used by heads of state – had been in the air for just 18 minutes when it lost contact with radar.
A loud explosion shook the Lauterbrunnen valley, with people in nearby villages describing “a mass of fire hovering in the clouds”. Hundreds of fans gathered near the planned landing site in Lucerne cried out and collapsed when they received the news.
A forest ranger named Hans Gruber was the first to spot black smoke rising from a high cliff:
“I heard an explosion, then a bright fire at the edge of the forest. I ran towards it but saw only scattered debris. There was the smell of petrol, smoke and… deathly silence.”
Police and rescue workers immediately set up a security cordon, but hundreds of reporters and paparazzi still flocked to the scene, creating a chaotic scene that seemed like the end of the world. Some over-excited fans jostled and collapsed when they saw charred pieces of fabric believed to be Federer’s sports jacket.
It took nearly 35 minutes for the rescue team to reach the wreckage of the helicopter in the dangerous terrain. There, they found a body lying face down, still wearing a Swiss sports uniform. On the right wrist was an exclusive Rolex watch, which Federer had signed in 2019.
A doctor desperately tried to perform CPR, while a nurse fitted an oxygen mask and a pulse meter. However, it was all just a procedural effort. The ambulance blared, but there was no one left to save.
At the University Hospital of Zurich, when the body was brought in, the ICU remained lit with white lights all night as if to hold on to a miracle. But at 6:37 p.m., the heart monitor showed only a cold straight line. The head doctor, Mr. Louis Meier, confirmed:
“We gave him three shocks, checked his vital signs, but… Federer was gone before he could be brought back.”
The whole world was shaken in deep grief.
Rafael Nadal wrote on Instagram: “I lost a brother.”
Rafael Nadal wrote on Instagram: “I lost a brother.”
Novak Djokovic: “No one can replace him. We only have one Roger Federer.”
The Swiss government immediately issued a statement: “Three days of national mourning”, the national flag was lowered at half-mast at the Bern government headquarters.
Twitter, Instagram, TikTok… exploded with hashtags: #GoodbyeFederer, #FlyHighRoger, #LegendNeverDies.
In New York, thousands of people gathered in front of the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center, lighting candles all night. In London, Wimbledon was lit up in the dark, not a single match continued.
At 7:05 p.m., the national news channel SRF officially broadcast a special news bulletin:
“Roger Federer – 20-time Grand Slam champion – passed away after a helicopter crash this afternoon in Lauterbrunnen.”
The whole country of Switzerland was choked up.
A glorious life. A violent end.
As fans around the world poured into the streets with white flowers, candles and Swiss flags, a controversial detail has just been revealed:
The flight was not originally scheduled. Federer “abruptly” changed his route this morning, abandoning his private car to opt for a helicopter.
A federal investigation has been opened. Theories of mechanical failure, pilot error or even sabotage are being considered.
There was only silence… and tears.
🕯️ “When the spotlight goes out, only the legend remains.”
– A line scrawled on a portrait of Federer covered in white flowers tonight in Zurich.
