No avalanche

Slovenian died on ski tour in Obertauern

The mountain rescuers in Obertauern had to contend with difficult conditions.

(Bild: Bergrettung Salzburg)

42 mountain rescuers set out on Sunday morning in search of a missing 54-year-old winter sportsman from Slovenia. In the afternoon, the man could only be found dead. It is unlikely to have been an avalanche accident. 

The 54-year-old ski tourer from Slovenia had already set off on a ski tour on the Tauern on Saturday afternoon. The sportsman's car was found by the emergency services in the parking lot of the Grünwaldkopfbahn in Obertauern. Friends had previously reported him missing to the police.

"We were told that he was experienced, knew the area and had been on a ski tour in open terrain, but we didn't know where he was going," explains Christian Binggl, head of operations and dog handler for the mountain rescue team in Obertauern.

42 mountain rescuers from Obertauern, Mauterndorf, Radstadt, the Alpine Police and members of the mountain rescue dog team searched the Gamsspitzl, Zehnerkar, Gamsleiten, Seekarspitz and Seekareck areas. The conditions were challenging due to the abundance of fresh snow and poor visibility. In the Seekareck area, at 1987 meters above sea level, the athlete was finally found thanks to the signal from his avalanche transceiver. He had to be dug out from a depth of two meters. A doctor present was only able to determine that he had died.

There is no evidence of an avalanche, the well-equipped alpinist probably fell on a cornice during the ascent. The alpine police are investigating the exact cause of death.