Five Dead in Tirol Avalanches as Snow, Wind Hammer Alps
Five Dead in Tirol Avalanches as Snow, Wind Hammer Alps
Deadly avalanches in Tirol amid heavy snowfall and gusty winds; officials warn of ongoing danger for backcountry skiers.
Rescuers in Tirol faced continued danger and turbulent weather after a string of avalanches claimed lives across the region. Heavy snowfall reaching up to 1.5 metres and strong winds have left the mountain slopes unstable and attractive to visitors, even off-piste, according to regional authorities.
In one of the deadliest slides, a nearly 450-metre-wide avalanche struck the St Anton am Arlberg area, trapping five off-piste skiers and prompting a major rescue operation involving mountain-rescue teams, ambulances, fire crews, and dog squads. Among those killed were an American and a Polish national; a 21-year-old Austrian died of injuries days later.
Earlier incidents in locations such as Nauders-Bergkastel and Klösterle added to the toll. A 42-year-old German man and his 16-year-old son were caught in another slide in Nauders-Bergkastel; the teen survived with injuries after seeking help, but his father did not. In Klösterle, a 39-year-old Swiss snowboarder was killed by an avalanche in an off-piste area.
The scale of danger is underscored by authorities: nearly three dozen avalanche incidents were reported on Friday alone, with more than 200 across the past week. By Friday, 11 people had already died in avalanches this month. Tirol’s governor, Anton Mattle, said the recent snowfall is drawing many people to the mountains—“even off-piste.” The weather remains turbulent and relief is not in sight.
As rescue and recovery operations continue, officials urged skiers and hikers to heed warnings and stay out of potentially unstable backcountry terrain.
