An avalanche in Italy's South Tyrol region has killed two skiers and injured five others, the country's mountain rescue service has confirmed. The incident occurred on Saturday in high alpine terrain near the town of Ratschings, close to the Austrian border.
The avalanche struck at approximately 2,400 metres on the slopes of the 2,669-metre Hohe Ferse, also known as Monte Tallone Grande. According to the CNSAS rescue service's Bolzano emergency centre, 25 skiers were caught in the slide. Three people sustained serious injuries, while two others suffered minor injuries.
The avalanche occurred at 11:40 a.m. local time. A large-scale rescue operation was launched, involving six helicopters and around 80 rescuers from CNSAS, the Alpine Association, police and firefighters, as reported by Italian news agency ANSA.
This season has seen an unusually high number of avalanche deaths. European Avalanche Warning Services reports that fatalities average 100 per season. As of March 16, reported deaths this season stood at 127, including 33 in Italy, 31 in France and 29 in Austria.
In early February, a record 13 skiers died on the slopes in one week, including 10 in avalanches. Experts have attributed the deaths to an exceptionally unstable snowpack and the rush of skiing enthusiasts to off-piste slopes after recent heavy snowstorms. Climate experts argue that snow instability is due to rising temperatures and stronger winds.
