Thanks to Bergschlawiner of Seattle Mountain Rescue for sending in this story.
While climbing the 3,379-meter high Grosser Löffler in Zillertal, a 51-year old man and his daughter were carried 400 meters by an avalanche and buried. The accident happened near the mountain’s summit when the entire flank of the mountain avalanched.
The man, who was also a member of the Bergretting mountain rescue in South Tirol, was buried completely with only his feet above the surface. The daughter had only minor injuries. Rescuers were able to resuscitate the buried man who was flown by the “Pelikan” rescue helicopter to the hospital in Innsbruck where he died a short time later.
Rescue services from the two countries, Austrian North Tirol and Italian South Tirol, were able to function extremely well together on the rescue operation in which four rescue helicopters, avalanche dog teams from Zillertal and Ahrntal, the Bergrettung Ahrntal, Bergrettung Ginzling and the Austrian Alpine Police.
Read the story (in German) here.
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