Avalanche falls in Tyrolean ski resort - video shows fleeing skiers

A police spokesman told the Austrian news agency APA that the snow slab had come down in the open ski area in the Daunscharte area. Parts of the snow masses also reached the lower section of a piste, confirmed the Stubai Glacier Railways. According to current information, the avalanche was triggered by off-piste skiers.

According to the glacier lifts, several people were in the open terrain at the time of the avalanche. However, it was still unclear at midday how many people were actually affected.

It was not confirmed to APA that some of the partially buried victims had already been dug out. What was certain, however, was that avalanche airbags had been observed to have been triggered in some of the winter sports enthusiasts affected.

A large-scale search operation involving several mountain rescue teams, avalanche search dogs and three rescue helicopters was underway. A total of around 250 people were deployed. The avalanche cone was searched intensively by the emergency services.