Drama in the Karwendel

Avalanche on Bärenkopf – one person buried

The huge avalanche caught the Germans.(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

There was an avalanche alert on Tuesday afternoon at Lake Achensee in the Tyrolean lowlands. Two people were buried or swept away in the Bärenkopf and Bärenbadalm areas of Eben. One victim was rescued dead. A second victim was flown to Schwaz hospital.

The accident occurred in the area of the Bärenkopf (1991 meters), a popular viewing mountain and hotspot for Instagram pictures in the Karwendel to the north above Lake Achensee. A group of seven young Germans were affected. The young Germans had undertaken a hike to the Bärenkopf. The accident happened on the descent.

One buried, one swept away
Between Bärenbadalm and Weißenbachsattel, at around 1900 meters, an avalanche broke loose in a gully towards Dristenautal and caught two people. While one was only swept away and slightly injured, the second person - a 19-year-old German - was buried. "We saw a rucksack under the chunks of snow from the helicopter and then found the victim quite quickly," explains a rescuer. However, all help came too late for the young man.

The Libelle Tirol police helicopter recovered the body.(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Three helicopters on site
Initially, the Maurach mountain rescue team and dog handlers were alerted. Later, two emergency helicopters and the Libelle Tirol police helicopter were also deployed. The Jenbach and Achenkirch mountain rescue teams were also at the scene.

The five uninjured members of the hiking group were flown down to the valley, where a Red Cross crisis intervention team looked after them.

Fifth avalanche fatality
This is the fifth avalanche fatality in Tyrol this winter.