In a ski area not far from the famous Austrian winter sports resort of Lech, numerous rescuers spent hours looking for winter sports enthusiasts buried under an avalanche. At first, police speculated about ten possible victims, but that number was significantly reduced.
Up to now two are missing. Video footage of an avalanche witness showed ten people. It now appears that at least eight of them managed to escape the snow mass.
“We are doing everything we can to save winter sports enthusiasts,” the municipality of Lech told the news agency WHAT. According to Austrian media, more than two hundred people are involved in the rescue attempt. They speak of a race against time as the chances of survival are decreasing rapidly.
Several helicopters are ready to quickly transport the victims. Authorities said the search would continue through the night if necessary.
Avalanche warning for the Austrian mountains
The accident occurred near Zürs in the Trittkopf Mountains at an altitude of over 2700 meters. The ski area was open. It is not yet known whether those missing were off the trail at the time of the avalanche.
Just before 3pm on Sunday afternoon, the snow started to slide. An avalanche warning was issued for the Austrian mountains last week. There has been a lot of snow in the past few days, followed by warmer temperatures on Christmas Day.
Lech is known in the Netherlands because the royal family go skiing there every year. Prince Friso was buried in an avalanche in the commune on February 17, 2012. He fell into a coma and died in August 2013.
