Hiker buried by avalanche in Austria, search deemed too risky

vomp - In the Karwendel Mountains in Tyrol, a hiker from Bavaria was buried by an avalanche. Rescuers detected a signal in the snow mass but were unable to dig out the victim. Austria and other Central European countries are grappling with ongoing severe weather conditions.

According to Austrian police, the search has been called off due to the high risks involved. Rescue teams will resume efforts on Sunday if conditions permit. The man was part of a group of about thirty who had to cut short their journey near the border with Germany. Heavy snowfall forced them to abandon their trek. While descending at 1500 meters, they were hit by an avalanche. The others were successfully evacuated from the danger zone and brought down to the valley.

Rescue teams from Austria (Achenkirch) and Germany (Lenggries) had to trek on foot with avalanche dogs to reach the site. Dense fog and harsh winter conditions prevented helicopter access initially, but it became possible from the German side of the border later on.