Despite resuscitation

Avalanche victim from Piz Buin dies in hospital

The tragic accident took place near the Wiesbadener Hütte.

(Bild: wiesbadener-huette.com)

A 43-year-old German woman was buried around 70 centimeters deep, despite resuscitation she did not survive the accident. 

A 43-year-old female ski tourer from Germany, who was resuscitated on Tuesday after an avalanche in Vorarlberg, in the municipality of Partenen (Montafon), died on Friday in Feldkirch regional hospital, according to the police.

Her condition was already described as critical immediately after the successful resuscitation. She had been buried around 70 centimetres deep and it took around 20 minutes to rescue her from the masses of snow.

Couple from Germany
The woman was out on Tuesday with her 46-year-old husband; the couple from Augsburg (Bavaria) were considered to be experienced alpinists. Due to diffuse visibility conditions, the couple changed their plan and wanted to return to the Wiesbadener Hütte (2,430 meters), from where they had started, via the "Grüne Kuppe" in considerable avalanche danger (level 3). To do so, the 46-year-old skied ahead of his wife into a north-facing slope that was around 30 degrees steep. The avalanche then broke loose, reaching a width of around 100 meters and a length of around 100 meters.

Both were caught in the avalanche. However, while the 43-year-old was buried, her husband was able to stay on the surface. After locating his wife's avalanche transceiver in the area of the avalanche outlet, he immediately began the rescue. At the same time, an uninvolved female ski tourer made an emergency call to the emergency services and then assisted the man in digging out and resuscitating the 43-year-old.