At least eight skiers have lost their lives in separate avalanches across Austria over the weekend, as heavy snowfall created treacherous conditions in the Alps. Authorities had issued clear and repeated warnings about the elevated danger level.
A Double Tragedy in the Mountains
The fatal incidents occurred in two regions on Saturday, 18 January 2026. In the Murtal district of Styria, central Austria, an avalanche caught seven Czech skiers in the Pusterwald area. Three of them were killed after being completely buried by the snow. The Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported the tragedy.
Separately, in the western Salzburg Pongau region, a major avalanche in the Gastein Valley, south of Salzburg city, swept away seven people. Four skiers died in this incident. Mountain rescue services were alerted at around 2pm local time (1pm UK time).
The Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported that two people were injured, one seriously, while a third person managed to escape unharmed. In a grim precursor about 90 minutes earlier, a female skier died after being buried by an avalanche in the nearby Bad Hofgastein area at an altitude of roughly 2,200 metres.
Rescue Efforts and Stark Warnings
The response to the Gastein Valley avalanche was extensive. Four rescue helicopters, mountain rescue teams, Red Cross dog units, and a crisis intervention team were all deployed to the scene.
Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, stated the tragedy painfully highlighted the seriousness of the current avalanche situation. He emphasised that there had been "clear and repeated warnings" about the risk.
The Salzburg avalanche warning service had raised the danger level to "level 3" on its five-point scale for Saturday, indicating considerable danger. Winter sports enthusiasts had been advised that cracks and settling noises in the snowpack are key warning signs, with wind-drifted snow presenting a particular hazard.
A Wider Pattern of Risk
These incidents come as parts of Europe grapple with heavy snowfall. The fatalities in Austria follow the death of a British skier in his 50s in the French Alps just last weekend. He was skiing off-piste in the La Plagne resort when he was caught in an avalanche.
The consecutive tragedies underscore the volatile and often deadly nature of alpine conditions during peak winter sports season, even for experienced skiers. They serve as a stark reminder of the critical importance of heeding official avalanche warnings and understanding local snow conditions.
