Nine people killed in three days as more than 100 avalanches hit Austria

Authorities say the situation is ‘unprecedented’ and have warned that more large avalanches are likely

Rescue helicopters stand on a street near the Gammerspitze after an avalanche killed one person (APA/AFP via Getty Images)

Nine people have been killed in three days after more than 100 avalanches hit Austria, authorities have confirmed.

Heavy snowfall followed by warmer temperatures created dangerous conditions leading to the wave of avalanches which struck the western Tyrol region, with Friday alone recording five fatalities, rescue services said. There were also two deaths in neighbouring Switzerland.

Local authorities in Austria’s popular ski region have called the situation “unprecedented”.

With further snowfall and strong winds predicted in Tyrol, Austria’s avalanche warning level, which has a scale from one to five, has been increased to level four, meaning “very large avalanches are likely”.

Of the nine people who died in Austria, eight of them were reported in Tyrol, which is known for its Alpine mountain landscapes and ski resorts.

On Friday, four Swedish skiers and their mountain guide were swept away near the Ischgl resort on the Swiss border when reportedly skiing off-piste.

According to emergency services, one member of the group survived after he managed to call for help and was subsequently airlifted out by helicopter.

Also on Friday, a couple in their sixties were engulfed while cross-country skiing near the village of Auffach, police said.

On Saturday, a 58-year old local man was killed at Schirmn near the city of Innsbruck in an avalanche which injured four other people, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF.

The following day - Sunday - an experienced skier, aged 43, was killed in Austria’s western region of Vorarlberg.

Five winter sports enthusiasts were also buried by snowfall in the major resort of Soelden but were all rescued.

“The past three days have seen some 100 avalanche-type incidents requiring 70 interventions,” Tyrol regional authorities said on Sunday.

Local media reported that 480 mountain rescue workers were involved in emergency operations across the region, as well as the Austrian armed forces and army helicopters.

Avalanches are common in countries such as Austria and Switzerland. In 2020 at least six people were killed in two avalanches in the Austrian Alps.

The avalanche warning service advises inexperienced skiers to remain on open ski runs and trails and for experienced skiers to stay away from very steep terrain while alert level four is in place.

According to a provisional report by the MeteoSwiss weather service on Friday, people have been caught up in 45 avalanches so far this winter.

It urged people to be “careful, careful, careful”.