Overview
- The avalanche struck the north face below the 3,545‑meter Vertainspitze at about 3,200 meters shortly before 16:00 local time, according to mountain rescue officials.
- Three victims were recovered dead and two others from the group are missing and presumed dead, with the search halted after dark and set to resume at first light.
- Two German men around 50 survived the slide, raised the alarm, and were evacuated by helicopter, the Bergrettung Sulden said.
- Rescuers deployed Bergrettung Sulden teams, the local fire brigade and Finanzpolizei, Pelikan 1 and Pelikan 3 helicopters, drones, and thermal imaging during the operation.
- The climbers were on the technical north-face route regarded as a high‑alpine ice tour, and ANSA reported the recovered dead were two men and one woman aged roughly 30 to 50.