Latest news Five avalanche victims in South Tyrol all come from Bavaria
The five people who died in the avalanche accident on All Saints' Day in South Tyrol are all from Bavaria. This was confirmed to the German Press Agency by a spokesman for the Italian financial police in Bolzano. A 58-year-old man and his 21-year-old son and his girlfriend of the same age died in a rope team. A 46-year-old father and his 17-year-old daughter also died. Two men from Germany survived the accident.
03.11.2025, 12:43
SDA
The mountaineers were caught in a snow avalanche on Saturday shortly before 4 p.m. on their ascent to the 3,545-metre-high Vertainspitze in the Ortler mountains. It is still unclear why the rope teams were still on their way to the summit so late in the afternoon. According to the mountain rescue service, the Germans were traveling independently of each other in three groups - one rope team of three and two rope teams of two. The accident occurred on the north face below the summit at an altitude of around 3,200 meters.
Still a mystery about the late ascent
It is assumed that the avalanche was triggered by the rope team that was furthest up: the father and daughter, who were still around a hundred meters below the summit. According to Italian media reports, the two were still trying to warn the other climbers on the wall by shouting.
According to the mountain rescue service, the avalanche danger was not particularly high: warning level two out of five. It is assumed that the avalanche broke loose as a result of heavy drifts because fresh snow had not yet bonded sufficiently with the ground. The first fresh snow of the season fell in the region a few days ago. During the day, the temperatures there were still quite high for the time of year. At night, it is already very cold at altitude.
Ascent is considered long and strenuous
The ascent to the Vertainspitze in the Ortler mountains is considered long and strenuous, but technically not particularly difficult. The mountain above Sulden is a much-climbed peak due to its panoramic views. Its north face is considered a "high alpine ice tour", for which a rope and full ice climbing equipment are required.
