High avalanche danger is being observed in many parts of the Alps following days of heavy snowfall. Planetski.eu is reporting that a group of Swedes were caught in a 300 metres wide and 800 metres long slide in Engelberg, Switzerland. They report that, “11 people were buried but they manged to dig themselves out. Two are being treated in hospital but are not thought to be seriously injured.”
Another avalanche incident over the weekend caught two British skiers, a 22-year old and a 24-year old, in the Col des Mines area of Verbier. One was taken by helicopter to a hospital suffering from hypothermia. The other skier was unharmed. Neither were wearing a transceiver.
And Sadly, Italy suffered its first avalanche death of the season at Sauze d’Oulx. Over the last few days Sauze d’Oulx has received more than 150cm of snow. Despite the heavy snowfall and the high avalanche danger a group of four skiers headed up to Mt Fraiteve where they were caught in a slide resulting in the death of one of the skiers. This was the first avalanche death of the season in Italy. His fellow skiers face prosecution.