Three dead in the Murtal valley

Avalanche accident: “Everyone was adequately equipped”

Wolfgang Murer (Alpine Police) and Stefan Schröck (Mountain Rescue, right) were on duty over the weekend, recovering the bodies in the most adverse weather conditions.(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

The region is in shock after an avalanche in the Murtal valley in Styria killed three Czech ski tourers. The bodies of the victims were recovered in windy, foggy, and cold conditions – the investigation is ongoing.

Nature is superior to man, as many people painfully realized on Saturday. Eight winter sports enthusiasts were swept away by avalanches in Styria and Salzburg – with no chance of survival. In some cases, relatives even had to watch as their loved ones were swept away to their deaths.

Three of the fatalities were caused by an avalanche in Murtal, Styria. The following day, the shock in Pusterwald is still deep: "Twenty or 25 years ago, there was a similar accident in the region with three deaths from Murtal. Even though this time it wasn't local winter sports enthusiasts, as mayor I am very affected by this tragedy," says Fritz Strahlhofer.

Mayor Fritz Strahlhofer thanks the emergency services.(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

Shortly before 4:30 p.m., the Alpine Rescue Team received the alarm. Seven Czech ski tourers were traveling in the municipality of Pusterwald near Schönfeldspitz when a snow slab broke loose at an altitude of about 1,800 meters. Only four of the mountaineers were able to save themselves in time. They were taken to the hospital with injuries.

Rescue under the most adverse conditions
A difficult night then began for the survivors, as the three buried people could still be located and partially dug out, but could not be rescued. "Due to the adverse weather conditions, a rescue during the night was no longer possible," reports Stefan Schröck, regional director of the Styrian Mountain Rescue Service.

Two police helicopters from Graz and Wiener Neustadt were in operation on Sunday.(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

Conditions were not necessarily any better on Sunday: strong winds made it impossible for the helicopters to fly in, so the rescue teams had to climb to the accident site on touring skis and bring the deceased mountaineers down to the valley in sacks and rescue bags. The rescue operation lasted until early afternoon.

Wolfgang Murer (Alpine Police) and Stefan Schröck (Mountain Rescue, right) were on duty over the weekend, recovering the bodies in the most adverse weather conditions.(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

The deceased mountaineers—two men and one woman between the ages of 35 and 50—have now been identified, but not all of their relatives have been notified yet. "A total of over 150 rescue workers from mountain rescue, the Alpine Police, and ÖAMTC air rescue were involved," Schröck summarizes.

The investigation is still ongoing. The ski tourers were all adequately equipped.

Wolfgang Murer, Alpinpolizei Murtal

Exactly how the avalanche accident happened has not yet been conclusively clarified. Wolfgang Murer, head of the Murtal Alpine Police: "The investigation is still ongoing; we have to measure the avalanche cone again precisely." One thing is already certain: "The ski tourers were all adequately equipped." All seven alpinists were carrying probes, shovels, and avalanche transceivers—and the companions of those buried reacted in an exemplary manner.

An avalanche warning level of two out of five was in effect in the area of the accident in Styria near Pusterwald. The avalanche warning service assessed the avalanche risk as "moderate." However, terrain edges, steep gullies, and hollows were specifically mentioned as danger spots. According to the Alpine Police, 13 people have died in avalanches in Austria so far this ski season.