Avalanche tragedy in Tyrol

“That would probably have saved this woman’s life”

Where to search in these masses of snow? In the end, the woman was found at a depth of 1.70 meters.(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Mountain rescue operations manager Fred Wallenta describes Sunday's tragedy on Gilfert (Schwaz district) in Tyrol. It took 1 hour and 45 minutes to rescue a local woman (58) who had been buried in the snow – and there were reasons for that...

One of the numerous avalanches in Tyrol ended in the death of a local woman at the weekend. The 58-year-old had been skiing down the north-west side of Gilfert (2,506 meters) on Sunday. Several ski tourers were in the area on Sunday, and there was an avalanche warning level of 2 – moderate danger. "But there were places with drifts of snow," emphasizes alpine police officer Gerhard Daum.

Avalanche ended in a hollow and piled up
The accident happened at around 2:45 p.m. northeast of the Wetterkreuz at 2304 meters: a snow slab around 100 meters wide and 40 meters long caught the ski tourer and buried her. Her companion (32) raised the alarm. "Large masses of snow accumulated in a hollow," explains Fred Wallenta of the Schwaz Mountain Rescue Service.

Locating the buried woman was difficult
Tragically, the 58-year-old did not have an avalanche transceiver with her on the tour. "It took us an hour and 45 minutes to find the woman – at a depth of 1.70 meters," adds Wallenta. She was resuscitated and flown to Innsbruck Hospital, but died there.

A large number of rescuers were involved in the operation: the Martin 7 and Heli 4 helicopters and the Libelle police helicopter. In addition, the Schwaz, Mayrhofen, and Jenbach mountain rescue services, three avalanche dog handlers, two alpine police officers, and a police patrol were involved.

Large masses of snow had accumulated in a hollow. The woman was lying at a depth of 1.70 meters.

Fred Wallenta, Einsatzleiter Bergrettung Schwaz

Experienced mountain rescuer: Avalanche equipment is always essential
Wallenta is convinced: "If the woman had been wearing an avalanche transceiver, her life would probably have been saved." The mountain rescuer once again urges everyone to always carry an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel.

Overall, the situation remains dangerous, especially in the Tyrolean Oberland. The avalanche warning service has again issued the second-highest danger level 4 (i.e., high avalanche danger) for Silvretta, Verwall, Lechtaler Alps, and Allgäu Alps.