Massive Rescue Operation on Austrian Glacier
A major emergency operation was launched on Thursday morning after a significant avalanche buried several skiers and snowboarders on the Stubai Glacier in the Austrian Alps. The incident prompted a massive response from emergency services.
Details of the Incident and Rescue
The avalanche struck in the Daunscharte pass, an area known to be hazardous and located outside the protected ski runs. According to the Austria Press Agency (APA), the emergency operation involved approximately 250 people, alongside rescue dogs and helicopters.
By midday, the rescue mission was still actively searching for potential victims, with authorities uncertain if more people remained trapped under the snow. The force of the slide was such that heaps of snow reached a lower section of the official piste, necessitating its closure.
Casualties and Ongoing Efforts
So far, nine people have been rescued alive from the snow. Among them, three injured skiers were airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Tyrol, Austria. The Austria Press Agency reported that the severity of their injuries is currently unknown.
The Sulzenauferner Glacier, part of the popular Stubai ski area near Innsbruck, is the site of this developing story. The public is advised to avoid the area as the emergency operation is ongoing.
