Six Avalanche Deaths in Italy Near Winter Olympic Venues

On Saturday four people died in three separate avalanches in Italy in the area where the Winter Olympics are being held.

• A man skiing off piste with another three skiers at Punta Rocca died after being caught in an avalanche. His companions started a search operation with help from other skiers, until rescuers arrived.
• Another two off-piste skiers died in Albosaggia, a village in the lower Valtellina valley.
• A large avalanche occurred around midday in Val di Fiemme, involving four ski mountaineers. One was buried and killed, another sustained serious injuries, while the remaining two managed to escape unharmed.

We will bring you further details when we receive them.

Earlier two skiers from Finland in their 50s have died in an avalanche in northern Italy.

The accident occurred on Thursday afternoon near the resort of Solda in Sud Tirol.

Another skier survived.

Rescuers were heading by helicopter to another avalanche incident when they spotted the aftermath of an avalanche with a  person digging.

One person was buried 1.5m under the snow and the other 60cms.

Italy’s snow and avalanche risks association, AINEVA, which is part of the European Avalanche Warning Services, warned of a risk of avalanches for Sunday.

In Slovakia two Hungarian climbers, aged 38 and 37, have died after an avalanche.

Once alerted poor weather prevented the rescue services from using a helicopter to reach the scene of the accident near the Tupa peak and they had to travel by foot.

The victims were located under the avalanche by witnesses, but they did not survive.

They are the latest victims this winter after a series of avalanche fatalities.

• Snowshoer dies in avalanche in France
• Three more avalanche deaths in France
• Eight skies die in avalanches in Austria in one day

PlanetSKI: Number 1 for digital ski news

Your digital platform for ski news, resort information, travel, equipment rental, sport, money saving deals and everything connected with snowsports – web site, social media & more.

The post Six Avalanche Deaths in Italy Near Winter Olympic Venues appeared first on PlanetSKI.