SAEDNEWS: The number of skiers killed by avalanches in Austria has risen to five, adding to a string of fatal incidents this northern winter.
According to SAEDNEWS, Two people were found dead on Friday following a snow slide at the western ski resort of St. Anton am Arlberg, according to The Canberra Times.
The victims were recovered from the snow but could not be saved, a police spokesman said.
Of the three others initially rescued with injuries, one later died in hospital that evening. Authorities have not yet released information on the victims’ ages or nationalities.
In Klösterle, Vorarlberg, a 39-year-old Swiss man died while snowboarding down a steep slope alongside a 47-year-old German man. The Swiss man triggered a snow slab, was swept about 250 meters, and became completely buried. His companion was unharmed.
Earlier, a 42-year-old German skier was killed by an avalanche in the Tyrolean ski area of Nauders. He had been skiing off-piste with his 16-year-old son, who survived with serious injuries. The pair were crossing a north-facing slope when a slab of snow approximately 400 meters wide broke loose, sweeping them 200–300 meters downhill, police said.
Recent snowfall in parts of Tyrol reached up to 40 cm. Authorities warned that avalanche conditions remain dangerous, noting that more than 30 avalanches were recorded in Tyrol on Wednesday alone.
