nineteenth January 2026
The newest fatality is a person in his 30s who died in Val d’Isere in France. Contemporary calls have been made for warning after 24 deaths within the Alps prior to now 10 days. NEW
The person, who has not been named, was on vacation within the resort when he was caught in an avalanche at 4.30 pm on Monday afternoon.
He was in a gaggle of six within the Solaise space when he was buried.
The rescue companies had been on the scene shortly and located his avalanche bag within the snow that had damaged free.
His physique was positioned by way of his transceiver however he was pronounced lifeless on the scene.
The Val d’Isere authorities are calling on individuals who enterprise off piste to be additional vigilant.
It follows a current fall of snow, accompanied by excessive winds, that has fallen on a extremely unstable base.
The avalanche hazard stage stays ‘appreciable’ (Degree 3) in some elements of the Alps.
Right here is the present danger stage in Switzerland.
Avalanche danger in Switzerland, Tuesday twentieth January. Picture c/o SLF.
Final Saturday eight folks had been killed in Austria:
On Saturday an avalanche hit a gaggle of seven skiers within the Pongau space close to Salzburg, killing 4 and severely injuring one on Saturday.
Additionally on Saturday a feminine skier was buried by an avalanche in open alpine terrain close to the identical space.
She was snowboarding together with her husband in Dangerous Hofgastein at an altitude of two,200m.
“Our deepest sympathies exit to the households,” stated Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service.
“This tragedy painfully demonstrates how critical the present avalanche scenario is.”
Additional avalanches had been recorded within the Pongau area round noon, however no-one was injured.
Avalanche in Pongau. Picture c/o Pongau Mountain Rescue Service
Round 20-50 cms of snow has lately fallen within the Austrian Alps.
The recent snow is poorly bonded to older snow inflicting repeated avalanches and skiers are being urged to train excessive warning.
There have been 11 avalanche deaths in Austria this winter – the annual common is nineteen.
In Switzerland there have been additional fatalities.
A German man was killed in an avalanche and 4 different folks had been damage as they had been ski touring.
The incident occurred on Friday, on the Piz Badus peak close to the village of Tujetsch within the centre-south of the nation.
Earlier a 42-year previous Swiss skier died in an avalanche within the Pointe de Chemo space within the Valais municipality of Chamoson.
The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Analysis (SLF) has described the beginning of the yr as “tragic”.
Authorities throughout the Alps are persevering with to advise excessive warning of piste because the snowpack is extremely unstable in locations.
Of the twenty 4 current avalanche deaths, eleven occurred in Austria, seven in France, 5 in Switzerland, one in Italy.
It isn’t simply the Alps that has been hit by avalanche fatalities.
Within the Pyrenees two folks died on Sunday after being buried by avalanches whereas off-piste snowboarding.
A skier died in Baqueira Beret in Spain.
The person was caught in an avalanche and was rescued alive by emergency companies, however finally succumbed to his accidents.
The avalanche danger was at Degree 4 – ‘Excessive’.
One other individual died after being buried by an avalanche whereas snowboarding off-piste within the Aragonese Pyrenees in Spain.
It’s the fifth individual in lower than a month to have died buried by an avalanche within the Aragonese Pyrenees, after three folks died on December 29 whereas ski touring on the western slope of Tablato peak.
See right here for PlanetSKI updates on the current avalanche accidents:
