Helicopter flight rejected

German brothers trigger two avalanches

The 51-year-old's seriously injured brother was rescued by helicopter. He himself refused to go on the flight.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

After an avalanche on the Pitztal Glacier, in which his brother (45) was swept away and seriously injured, a 51-year-old continued the risky off-piste descent alone - and promptly got caught in an avalanche himself.  

On Saturday, a pair of German brothers (45 and 51 years old) undertook several off-piste descents in the Riffelsee and Pitztal Glacier ski areas. Around midday, they both ascended from the Pitztal Glacier ski area in the direction of Mittagskogel. They followed an existing ascent track and decided to ski together into a gully that had not yet been skied.

Snow slab swept the man 500 meters away
The 45-year-old was the first to enter a very steep gully. The 51-year-old followed his brother at a short distance. During the descent, a slab avalanche broke loose at around 3050 meters above sea level, which caught the 45-year-old German and swept him along for around 500 meters.

Offer to fly along was declined
The 51-year-old was able to deploy his avalanche airbag, was not buried by the avalanche and immediately began searching for the buried victim, discovering his brother seriously injured on the surface of the snow and then making an emergency call.

The 45-year-old was treated by the crew of the Martin 8 emergency helicopter at the avalanche cone and then flown to the hospital in Innsbruck. However, the uninjured 51-year-old, who was offered transportation by helicopter, insisted on descending into the valley on his own.

Another snow slab after a short traverse
When the helicopter had left the scene of the accident, the German continued on his own. After a short traverse, he triggered another snow slab, which carried him about 300 meters. The man was able to deploy his avalanche airbag again and was not buried by the masses of snow.

Equipment found again in the snow
The 51-year-old was then able to find his ski equipment again in the masses of snow and continued his descent back down into the valley. He was finally brought to the valley station unharmed by the Innerpitztal mountain rescue team.