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Five German Climbers Confirmed Dead After South Tyrol Avalanche on Vertainspitze

Daylight recovery confirmed the toll, with rescuers citing wind-drifted new snow as a likely trigger.

Overview

  • The slab released Saturday shortly before 16:00 at around 3,200 meters on the north face below the Vertainspitze in the Ortler range.
  • All five victims were German, including a father and his 17-year-old daughter; two other German climbers survived and were taken to hospital.
  • The group consisted of multiple roped parties reported as one three-person team and two two-person teams, and the survivors raised the alarm.
  • Search operations used helicopters, drones, and thermal imaging, paused overnight due to darkness, and concluded Sunday with the final recoveries.
  • Authorities reported no unusually high general avalanche danger that day, and a formal assessment of the sequence and conditions is ongoing.