An avalanche in Tyrol, western Austria, claimed the lives of two people on Thursday.
The victims were buried under heavy snow near the summit of Rosskopf, outside marked ski trails, according to APA and DPA reports.
The avalanche occurred in the Tux Alps, southeast of Innsbruck, just before noon. Rescue teams recovered three individuals from the snow. One was successfully resuscitated, but two local skiers succumbed to their injuries, stated the operations center to APA.
Details regarding the circumstances of the incident and the identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed. The rescue effort involved three helicopters, three mountain rescue teams, and avalanche search dogs.
On Thursday, the region was under a Level 3 avalanche warning on a 5-point scale, indicating “considerable” risk. Recent snowfall in Tyrol before Christmas has heightened avalanche danger. On Wednesday, another avalanche struck the mountains above Innsbruck, sweeping away three athletes, one of whom sustained minor injuries.
