One injured

Avalanche at Nassfeld: Four people buried

Avalanche warning level 3 to 4 currently applies - an avalanche occurred on Friday at Nassfeld, which also rolled over a piste.

(Bild: Ara Flugrettung)

An avalanche occurred in the Nassfeld ski resort in Carinthia on Friday. Mountain rescue, alpine police and search dogs were deployed. One of the four people caught up in the masses of snow was seriously injured.

An avalanche occurred next to piste number 70 on the Schnittlauchkofel at Nassfeld on Friday. "This avalanche also went over the ski slope," says Markus Tilli, the district police commander of Hermagor. 

We search everything again, but presumably nobody was buried by the avalanche on the piste.

Markus Tilli, Bezirkspolizeikommandant Hermagor

Four freeriders - three on snowboards, one on skis - had been caught in the deep snow next to the piste by the avalanche. "Two were up to their necks in snow, one was barely caught because he was able to open his avalanche backpack in time. But one was swept away by the masses of snow and pressed against a tree. He was seriously injured," reports Tilli. No rescue helicopter flight was possible because of the snow and fog. The injured man had to be taken to Villach Regional Hospital in an ambulance. 

A crack in the snow and masses of snow descend at a surprisingly fast pace - in the worst case scenario, they bury people.

(Bild: Polizei)

The freeriders said that they had not seen anyone on the piste. Nevertheless, the area is searched again for any buried people. "We have already searched the avalanche cone twice with beepers and search dogs," says Tilli. A good 40 rescue teams were in the area. The search operation ended at 3.40 pm.

It is still unclear whether the athletes triggered the avalanche themselves or whether there was another cause. The quartet caught up in the avalanche is on vacation in Carinthia and all four were well equipped.

This is not the first avalanche to occur in the Schnittlauchkofel area: There was also a search operation in March 2017. There were no casualties back then.

Avalanche warning level 3
The Carinthian Avalanche Warning Service has issued warning level 3 - considerable danger - for the area. At warning level 3, many people still dare to venture into the deep snow, which they would no longer dare to do at level 4. The more people there are in potential danger, the more likely you are to get caught. Just like on Friday, when this avalanche occurred at Nassfeld.