accidents
Five avalanche deaths in Tyrol: experts complain about carelessness
Rescue workers in Sölden are on duty at the avalanche cone. Photo: Zoom.Tirol/APA/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Dozens of avalanches go off in Tyrol. One of them becomes fatal for five winter sports enthusiasts. The head of the Tyrolean avalanche warning service is shocked – and angry.
According to the police, five people died in an avalanche in the Austrian state of Tyrol. The accident happened off-piste in the Spiss area, a town on the Swiss border. A victim was injured and flown to Switzerland.
According to the police, five people were caught in another avalanche accident near Sölden – also in unsecured terrain. Four of them had to be taken to hospital with injuries. The police were initially unable to provide any further information on the exact course of events, the origin and the age of the victims.
Most serious avalanche day of the winter season
Due to the large amount of fresh snow, there were almost 60 avalanches in Tyrol alone on Thursday and Friday, according to the avalanche warning service. Friday was the most serious avalanche day in this winter season up to that point. The head of the Tyrolean avalanche warning service, Rudi Mair, said in view of the numerous incidents: “It makes me sad, but I’m also shocked and angry that all the warnings are useless.” The critical conditions have been pointed out for days. Ski touring and off-piste descents currently require a lot of experience in assessing the avalanche danger.
According to Austria’s avalanche warning system, there is considerable danger in large parts of the mountains after the fresh snow, which is regionally two meters high – the third level on the five-part risk scale. Most avalanche accidents usually happen in this medium danger situation.
A German skier who was buried in the Glungezer ski area in Tyrol was lucky in misfortune. Thanks to a quick search by her companions, she was rescued alive after 15 minutes. According to the police, she was found at a depth of 1 to 1.5 meters. The woman was unconscious, but her breathing and circulation were still functioning. “In any case, it’s a total stroke of luck if you survive for 15 minutes,” said the police spokesman. The woman, who lives in Innsbruck, was flown to a hospital with injuries.
The woman and her colleagues were well equipped with electronic tracking devices, avalanche probes and shovels in the ski area. According to experts, rapid rescue by companions is of crucial importance, since the chances of survival for those buried under the snow decrease rapidly within a short period of time.