Eight skiers killed in three avalanches across the Austrian Alps

Eight skiers died in three separate avalanches across the Austrian Alps on Saturday, days after heavy snowfall raised the avalanche risk for the range, local authorities said. In the state of Salzburg, the Pongau mountain rescue service said a skier was buried and killed at about 2,200 meters in the Schmugglerscharte area.

About 20 miles south, an avalanche on Finsterkopf mountain struck a group of seven skiers: four were killed, two injured and a seventh was unharmed, the rescue service said. In Pusterwald, about 70 miles east of Finsterkopf, Austrian police said three Czech skiers were swept away and buried; they were confirmed dead after rescuers partially recovered the bodies.

Four other Czech skiers in the same group were not buried and received medical treatment. Other avalanches triggered by winter sports enthusiasts in the Pongau region caused no injuries, the rescue service said. "Despite clear and repeated warnings, numerous avalanches occurred again today — unfortunately with fatal consequences," Gerhard Kremser, the district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, said in a statement.

"This tragedy painfully demonstrates the seriousness of the current avalanche situation," he added. Officials said heavy snowfall last weekend fell on unstable older snow, creating prime conditions for avalanches, the Avalanche warning service of Tyrol said.

Key Topics

World, Austrian Alps, Pongau Mountain Rescue, Finsterkopf, Pusterwald, Schmugglerscharte