Sad record in Austria: Deadly ski winter in the Tyrolean Alps

Created: 07/01/2023 17:25

By: Stella Henrich

This is probably the most dangerous ski winter of all time in Austria.

On Epiphany, there were many bad skiing accidents with serious injuries in the Tyrolean ski areas.

Several people died in accidents beforehand.

Sölden/Tyrol/Austria - A total of 13 people have died on Austria's slopes since the beginning of November.

Eleven of them had fatal accidents in Tyrol.

Despite urgent warnings from the Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS) and local alpine police officers, there have been numerous accidents and deaths in popular ski areas in the neighboring country.

Including two 17-year-old Germans.

The two boys from Bavaria had apparently fallen 50 to 60 meters into an abyss at too high a speed over the edge of the piste in the Steinplatte-Waidring ski area in the Tyrolean district of Kitzbühel.

The deadly drama happened on December 28th.

Adapts the driving speed to your own ability and the conditions.

Keep in mind that both your fitness and the slope conditions will deteriorate over the course of the day.

Martin Loitlesberger, alpine policeman

Only today three Germans had an accident in Austria.

A seven-year-old crashed into a padded lift support at too high a speed during a ski course in Sölden.

In addition, two women, aged 54 and 44, were injured in collisions with other skiers.

According to the police, the seven-year-old was traveling on the Giggijoch when he lost control of his journey and drove uncontrolled towards the valley.

The 44-year-old also collided with a 13-year-old Austrian on the Giggijoch, who was not injured.

The 54-year-old collided with another winter sports enthusiast on the Tiefenbachferner and fell.

This is reported by the television station

.

Warning in a Tyrolean ski area for all skiers.

(Iconic image) © Bildagentur Muehlanger/imago

Sad record on Austria's slopes: numerous accidents in just one day

A 19-year-old from Germany was seriously injured in Kühtai.

The young woman tried to overtake another skier, apparently lost control and fell, reports the

.

The skier seriously injured her shoulder.

A 77-year-old Austrian fell on the "Nösslachjoch" descent and was seriously injured in the Bergeralm ski area in Steinach.

If you are tired or the slope conditions are very demanding, you can take the cable car down the last valley run.

Recommended by Jochen Tiefengraber, base manager of the air rescue service

A day earlier, a 49-year-old skier crossed a blue slope just above the Kriegeralpe when she collided with a 17-year-old.

The teenager was traveling with a ski group.

The 49-year-old was seriously injured in the collision and was flown to Zürs by helicopter with a suspected broken leg.

Sad record on Austria's slopes: Ski Association and ÖKAS President appeal to all skiers

The series on Austria's slopes continues.

On the Hintertux Glacier, an eleven-year-old boy lost control of his skis, broke through the safety net of a ski school and crashed into two children.

According to the picture, the boy was flown to the clinic with spinal injuries, the rest of those involved were slightly injured.

Two women, including a German, fell on the Hintertux Glacier on New Year's Day.

They were also flown to hospitals with serious injuries.

A Dutch woman, on the other hand, was less "lucky". She fell down a slope and crashed into a tree without stopping.

Merkur.de reported on the ski accident in the Zillertal in Tyrol.

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Due to the numerous ski accidents, the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) is making an urgent appeal to all skiers.

“In many ski areas in Austria, appreciable amounts of fresh snow have so far failed to materialize or have already melted due to the warm temperatures.

This leads to partly icy slopes and to aper areas outside the slopes.

In these conditions, there is an increased risk of serious injury from a fall, especially if you go over the edge of the slope.”

Official accident figures on Austria's slopes

In the period from November 1, 2022 to January 3, 2023, 13 skiers lost their lives in the "organized ski area in Austria".

A total of 505 injured and 217 uninjured have been registered since November 1st.

On a 10-year average, a total of 1030 people had accidents (dead, injured, uninjured) on slopes and ski routes during this period, this year there are 735 people.

In the first pandemic year 2020/21, 94 people had an accident on slopes and ski routes in the same period under review.

Fall and collision are the main causes of accidents of the injured.

The fatalities (13) are falls with impact against obstacles (7), cardiovascular disorders (5) and collisions (1). 

Source:

ÖKAS President Peter Paal also appeals to the ski fitness of all skiers.

There is often a lack of “ski fitness”.

After the Corona years, many people are even less practiced in winter sports than before.

If you then go on the slopes, there is a risk of misjudging your own ability.

He gives all

.

• Drive appropriately

• Check your equipment and wear a helmet on the slopes

• Warm up before the first descent

• take breaks

• Comply with the FIS rules for orderly skiing on the slopes

• Improve your ability to avoid accidents

In any case, skiers should save the general alpine emergency number 140 in their mobile phone and the number of the piste rescue service in their ski area.

In this way, rescuers can be summoned immediately in an emergency.

In the case of a little girl, however, this measure was not enough.

Although the twelve-year-old child was rescued by the alpine rescuers in Tyrol, the little one died a little later in an Innsbruck hospital.