Austria finds all 10 people feared missing in an avalanche near a ski region
Representative picture of an Austrian ski resort.
Austrian authorities have found all 10 people feared missing in an avalanche near a ski region. On Monday, around 1 am, authorities said four people were injured in the incident, with one suffering serious injuries. Six people had escaped the avalanche and drove to safety independently.
The avalanche was reported on Sunday before 3 pm, on Christmas. In a video recorded by a witness, around 10 people were standing in the way of the avalanche, leading to authorities fearing that all were affected by the incident.
Avalanche Austria - An avalanche went off below the #Trittkopf in the area of slope no. 134 (#Balmen), has reached the ski slope.
— 🚨 MiBaWi 🇩🇪🇺🇲🇨🇦🇪🇸🇦🇺🇺🇦🇮🇩🇳🇱 (@Michael45231497) December 25, 2022
The police are assuming ten people have been buried, one person has been rescued alive/injured so far.https://t.co/rDVBP9kRmz pic.twitter.com/WO12DnIduq
- Austrian authorities pressed some 200 people into the rescue operations, which continued after dark as well.
- Seven helicopters also searched the area for any missing persons.
- Ultimately, four people were rescued.
- One man who was found half buried in snow was rushed to a nearby hospital for serious injuries.
- As of the latest update, no one is missing from the incident.
The avalanche took place at Lech/Zuers, in western Austria. The region is known for its ski resorts offering Alpine skiing. Avalanches in the Alpine regions of Austria and Switzerland are quite common. Every winter season, avalanches take several lives, usually of tourists and those on the ski trails.
Austria has an avalanche warning level from one to five, which predicts the frequency of avalanches. During level four of the warning and above, inexperienced skiers are advised to remain on open ski runs and trails, and experienced ones are advised to avoid steep terrains.