27-year-old Australian Woman Killed in Avalanche in Austria

March 5th, 2015


Austria’s Tyrol offers one of the most incredible mountain playgrounds anywhere on earth. However, the European attitude to off-piste skiing is markedly different to Australia, New Zealand, or North America. If you ski off-piste, you are entirely responsible for managing your own exposure to risk. Always ski with proper avalanche equipment and knowledge Image:: St Anton am Arlberg

Mountainwatch | Alex Horvath

Details remain scarce, but it’s being reported – by Austrian broadcaster ORF and Sydney Morning Herald – that a 27-year-old Australian snowboarder has been killed by an Avalanche that occured in the back-bowls of St Anton’s Rendl zone.

It’s believed that the 27-year-old was part of a group of four snowboarders who had been descending from the Rendl ridgeline when they triggered a slab avalanche that propagated 150 metres across the slope.

The slide transported the victims approximately 500 metres down to the valley, carrying the group across rocky cliffs and debris. According to sources, the victim’s partner was also injured and was airlifted to nearby Innsbruck for treatment. It’s believed that the woman and her partner were not buried, but were injured due to significant trauma while being transported down the slope. The other two snowboarders, a man and a woman, were not injured.

At this stage, it seems that the group were riding through known high-risk avalanche terrain without adequate knowledge, experience or proper avalanche safety equipment – such as an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel. At the time of the accident, high winds, warm temperatures and significant snow loading had led to the Tyrol issuing an Avalanche Advisory level of 3 – Considerable. At 3 out of a possible 5, this advisory level means that human-triggered slab avalanches were likely, particularly on heavily loaded aspects.

While this event is incredibly sad for the families of all involved, this incident must remind us all of the dangers of travelling off-piste without adequate knowledge, experience, and equipment. No matter where you’re skiing, always seek the services of a qualified mountain guide. If you don’t know, don’t go.

So far this winter, 21 people have been killed in avalanche-related incidents in Austria.