Overview
- Police and rescue services confirmed eight deaths on Saturday across three incidents in Salzburg’s Pongau/Gastein area and Styria’s Pusterwald.
- Near Bad Hofgastein around 12:30 p.m., a woman was buried and died, followed about 90 minutes later by a slide on Finsterkopf in the Gastein Valley that swept seven people, killing four and injuring two.
- Shortly before 4:30 p.m. in Pusterwald (Murtal, Styria), an avalanche buried three members of a group of seven Czech ski tourers, who were recovered deceased as companions were evacuated.
- The Finsterkopf victims included participants in an Austrian Alpine Club training course, according to the organization, which expressed condolences and emphasized its safety focus.
- More than 200 responders, several helicopters, dog teams and crisis units were deployed, as avalanche agencies maintained considerable danger levels and warned that unstable layers continue to pose risks.