Overview
- A large slide hit steep high-alpine terrain near Ratschings around 11:40 a.m. Saturday at about 2,450 meters, sweeping roughly two dozen ski tourers and burying about ten.
- A major search drew scores of rescuers and several helicopters, and avalanche beacons carried by some in the group helped teams locate the buried quickly.
- The victims include a 62-year-old mountain guide from Ridnaun, a 56-year-old man who lived in Vienna, and a 26-year-old woman who died in hospital after being flown to Innsbruck.
- Several people were injured; a 44-year-old Austrian remains in critical condition in intensive care in Bolzano, and German nationals were among those hurt.
- The accident comes in a winter with at least 128 avalanche deaths across Europe, with Italy hardest hit, and local forecasts had flagged level-2 danger with cautions for very steep shaded slopes above roughly 2,200 meters.