Two skiers lost their lives and five others were injured on Saturday when an avalanche struck them in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy, according to the mountain rescue service. The operation center received a report around noon that a dozen skiers were caught in the avalanche, with six helicopters dispatched and nearby hospitals alerted.
The incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 7,874 feet on the slopes of the 8,757-foot Hohe Ferse near the town of Ratschings, close to the Austrian border. Dozens of rescue personnel, firefighters, and law enforcement officers joined in the search-and-rescue operation. Out of the 25 skiers present, most managed to escape the impact of the avalanche involving snow, rocks, and ice.
A few days prior, a Polish man died from an avalanche in the same region. The avalanche warning for the area on Saturday rated the danger as low to moderate. Europe has experienced numerous avalanches this winter, including incidents in western Austria where at least five people, including an American, were killed, and multiple avalanches across Austria that claimed eight skiers’ lives. Additionally, six skiers died in France after being caught in various Alpine resorts.