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Rescue workers on duty at the avalanche cone in Sölden in the Tyrolean Ötztal
Photo:
Zoom.Tirol / dpa
Despite all the warnings of great avalanche danger, skiers in Austria have left the secured slopes, sometimes with fatal consequences.
At least three people died as a result.
According to the police, a young skier could only be found dead under the snow masses in the Zillertal in Tyrol on Saturday.
A winter sportsman who had been missing since Friday evening had previously been found lifeless under an avalanche in Kleinwalsertal.
The second highest avalanche warning level prevails in large parts of the Austrian Alps.
"People are very irresponsible on the go and always in the free ski area - they just don't believe it," said a spokesman for the authorities in Vorarlberg.
On the Arlberg, a search for two possibly buried skiers was interrupted for several hours on Saturday because the danger of further avalanches had become too great for the rescue workers.
Also on the Arlberg, a 15-year-old winter athlete was rescued alive after an avalanche in the open ski area after fifteen minutes under the snow and flown to the hospital.
In Sölden in the Ötztal (Tyrol), a 32-year-old Chinese skier died in an avalanche on Friday in the Ötztal, in the Kitzbühel district a 15-year-old was swept away by an avalanche and seriously injured.
More than a meter of fresh snow had fallen regionally in the past few days.
This also significantly hampered road traffic.
The traffic club ÖAMTC counted 17 roadblocks due to avalanche danger in the morning.
Snow chains were compulsory on 46 road sections.
jso/dpa/AFP