Three avalanches across Austria killed eight skiers in the first month of 2026, authorities said, as dangerous avalanches continue to claim lives around the world.
A female skier died in an avalanche at an altitude of about 7,200 feet in the Bad Hofgastein region of western Austria at around 12:30 pm on Saturday, according to the Peng Alpine Rescue Agency.
About 90 minutes later, an avalanche occurred in the nearby Gastein Valley, south of the city of Salzburg, killing seven people. Four people died, two were seriously injured and one was unhurt.
Three Czech skiers were killed in an avalanche in the central Austrian town of Pustwald around 4:30 p.m., police said. Four of their companions were evacuated to safety.
Four rescue helicopters, mountain rescue and Red Cross dog teams and crisis intervention teams rushed to the scene.
“This tragedy painfully demonstrates the seriousness of the current avalanche situation,” said Gerhard Kremser, regional director of the Pongo Mountain Rescue Service, noting that there were “clear and repeated warnings” about the risk of avalanches.
In this photo provided by Bergrettung Pongau (Pongau Mountain Rescue), rescuers search for people after an avalanche in the Pongau area of Salzburg, western Austria, on Saturday, January 17, 2026. /Photo credit: Bergrettung Pongau, Associated Press
(Bergretung Pongau, Associated Press)
A 13-year-old Czech skier died in an avalanche in the Austrian Alpine resort of Bad Gastein on Tuesday.
On Sunday, a 58-year-old ski tourist died in an avalanche in the western Austrian Tyrol resort of Welberg.
Deadly avalanches occur around the world this month
In neighboring Switzerland, a German man was killed and four others injured in an avalanche while cross-country skiing on Friday.
Over the weekend in France, six skiers died after being hit by avalanches at several Alpine resorts.
At least four people have been killed by avalanches in the western United States this month.
Last week, a snowmobiler died after being hit. buried by avalanche In Wyoming.
The incident occurred two days later two men killed Avalanche in central Washington state.
A snowmobile in California’s Sierra Nevada earlier this month dead After being buried by an avalanche.
According to the National Avalanche Center, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the United States each winter.
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