A series of deadly avalanches struck the Austrian Alps on Saturday, claiming eight lives amid heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions. Five people were killed in two avalanches in the Pongau area near Salzburg, according to local mountain rescue officials. The incidents involved seven ski tourers near Finsterkopf mountain, four of whom died and one was seriously injured, while another female ski tourer was buried and killed in open alpine terrain.
Later in the day, three Czech skiers were killed after being buried by an avalanche in Pusterwald, about 110 km from Salzburg. Emergency crews were able to partially dig out the victims, but all three were pronounced dead despite immediate rescue efforts. Other avalanches in the region were reported on Saturday, but no additional injuries were recorded.
The fatalities follow a particularly deadly week across the Alps. Neighboring Switzerland and France also reported multiple avalanche-related deaths, including six skiers in France, a 58-year-old skier in western Austria, and a 13-year-old Czech boy in Austria’s Bad Gastein resort. In Switzerland, one German man was killed and four others injured while cross-country skiing. Authorities continue to warn of dangerous conditions throughout the region.
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