A devastating series of avalanches in Austria has claimed the lives of eight skiers in the space of just four hours, with mountain rescue services describing the situation as 'precarious'. The tragedies, which unfolded across Saturday afternoon, have prompted urgent warnings for winter sports enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution.
A Tragic Sequence of Events
The first incident occurred around 12:30pm on Saturday in the Bad Hofgastein area of western Austria. A 58-year-old female skier was fatally buried by an avalanche at an altitude of approximately 7,200 feet. Her husband reportedly raised the alarm, but despite rescue efforts, she could not be revived.
Roughly 90 minutes later, a second, larger avalanche struck the 7,050-foot-high Finsterkopf mountain in the Gastein Valley, south of Salzburg. This slide swept away seven people. Four were killed, two were seriously injured, and one person escaped unharmed. The deceased were identified as three men, aged 53, 63, and 65, and a 60-year-old woman.
It was later confirmed the group was participating in a course organised by the Austrian Alpine Club. Jörg Randl, head of the club's mountaineering department, stated: 'In our courses, risk competence and safety awareness are paramount. This tragedy is deeply painful.'
The third avalanche hit shortly before 4:30pm in the town of Pusterwald in central Austria. Three Czech skiers lost their lives, while four companions were evacuated to safety.
Massive Rescue Operation and Stark Warnings
More than 200 helpers and mountain rescuers were involved in the recovery operations across the three sites. The response included dog units, a Red Cross crisis intervention team, and multiple helicopters. Due to ongoing avalanche warnings, some victims could not be recovered until Sunday.
Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, issued a stark reminder: 'This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is,' he said, referencing the 'clear and repeated warnings' that had been issued.
On Saturday, avalanche warning levels two and three were in effect in the affected regions of Styria and Salzburg. By Sunday, the level near Pusterwald remained at two out of five, with the avalanche danger in higher elevations assessed as 'moderate'.
A Deadly Alpine Season
This spate of tragedies follows a month marked by heavy snow and several avalanches across the Alps. Just five days prior, a 13-year-old Czech teenager was killed by an avalanche while skiing off-piste in Bad Gastein. Furthermore, a 58-year-old ski tourer died in an avalanche in Tyrol the previous Sunday.
According to the Alpine Police, the death toll for this season now stands at 13. Hans Ebner, head of the Alpine Police, noted: 'Basically, every victim is one too many. However, there are always avalanche seasons, you could say – after snowfall with wind, when the snow is redistributed.'
The incidents in Austria mirror a dangerous weekend in the French Alps, where several avalanches also proved fatal. Among those killed was a British man in his 50s, who was skiing off-piste at the La Plagne resort without an avalanche transceiver or professional instructor.
As rescue services continue their work, the overriding message from authorities is one of utmost vigilance, particularly above the tree line, where the risk remains acute.
