At least five people have been killed in a series of avalanches in Austria, authorities confirmed on Saturday. The Tirol regional government reported that intense snowfall over the past week, with accumulations of up to 1.5 metres, combined with strong winds and a weak snowpack, created conditions highly susceptible to avalanches.
Tirol police stated that five off-piste skiers were caught in a large avalanche, nearly 450 metres wide, on Friday afternoon in the St Anton am Arlberg area at an altitude of around 2,000 metres. The victims included an American and a Pole, while a 21-year-old Austrian died from injuries sustained in the avalanche after being taken to hospital.
In a separate incident on Friday morning at the Nauders-Bergkastel resort, a 42-year-old German man and his 16-year-old son were caught in an avalanche. The son survived with injuries and raised the alarm, but his father was killed. Additionally, in Klösterle in the neighbouring Vorarlberg region, a 39-year-old Swiss snowboarder died after being caught in an avalanche in an off-piste area.
Tirol's governor, Anton Mattle, expressed sorrow, noting that recent snowfall had drawn many people to the mountains, including off-piste areas. His office reported nearly three dozen avalanche incidents on Friday alone, with over 200 in the past week. So far this month, 11 people have died in avalanches in the region.
Authorities warned that no relief is expected on Sunday, with the weather remaining turbulent. Rescue operations involved dozens of mountain-rescue team members, ambulance and fire staff, and several dog squads.
