In brief
Five off-piste skiers have tragically lost their lives, with multiple incidents of avalanches occurring in the Pongau area of Austria near Salzburg. The dangerous conditions have led to a series of avalanches in recent days, prompting warnings from rescue officials about the risks associated with off-piste skiing.
Five off-piste skiers have died in two avalanches in Austria's Alps following heavy snowfall in the region. An avalanche hit a group of seven skiers in the Pongau area near Salzburg, killing four and seriously injuring one on Saturday, local mountain rescue officials reported.
A similar avalanche swept away a skier earlier in the day in the same area, and the poor weather conditions have led to several casualties across the Alps over the past week.
The mountain rescue service was alerted about the incidents around 14:00 local time. While four individuals were found deceased, one suffered significant injuries. Previously, a female skier was buried by an avalanche in the open alpine terrain nearby.
Gerhard Kremser, head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, expressed condolences, stating, Our deepest sympathies go out to the families. This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is. Further avalanches were reported in the region around midday, but thankfully no injuries occurred.
Earlier this week saw another avalanche which took the life of a 13-year-old boy in Bad Gastein, while a 58-year-old skier also perished in Weerberg in Tyrol. Elsewhere in Switzerland, a German man lost his life and four others were injured during cross-country skiing. Just last weekend in France, six skiers died in avalanches across various Alpine resorts.
