Avalanche kills two Dutch people in Austrian Alps; Two others rescued, 13 unharmed

Two Dutch people on holiday in Austria died on Thursday after an avalanche in the Ötztal Alps. Two other Dutch people were rescued, including one who was taken to the St. Vinzenz Hospital in Zams, about 40 kilometers away.

The status and condition of the two people who were found alive was not immediately available. Regional authorities confirmed that they were part of a group of 17 people from the Netherlands who were on vacation in the area, and were being assisted by four mountain guides.

The spontaneous slab avalanche was not induced. Authorities said the group was likely caught off-guard when the massive block of accumulated snow and ice broke loose. It measured roughly 80 meters wide and extended for 180 meters, roughly the size of two football pitches.

The rescue operation was very difficult, and other slabs of snow were first knocked down to make the area safer for rescue workers. Dozens of emergency services workers joined the effort, including mountain teams, helicopter crews, the police, and dog teams. The area could not be accessed by ground, and rescuers were airlifted to the location.

The 13 vacationers who were not trapped by the avalanche were escorted back to safety by their mountain guides. The tourists were visiting the area around the Martin-Busch-Hütte, a mountain refuge from the German Alpine Club located at 2,501 meters above sea level in the Niedertal Valley, which is part of the Ötztal Alps.

The ascent from the village of Vent takes about three hours to reach the refuge. Hikes from the famous outpost to nearby summits take between three and five hours, and can be extremely challenging. The summits in the area range from 3,200 to 3,625 meters above sea level.

There was only a slightly elevated risk of avalanche in the region, according to a forecast by the European Avalanche Warning Services. The risk was assessed as "moderate," the second lowest level on a scale from one to five.

However, the snowpack stability was considered to be very poor at higher elevations, and the risk of a larger slab sliding down a slope increased. Even though this was not likely, such an occurrence could bury people, or knock them over and sweep them away. At lower elevations, there was a risk of more frequent, mid-sized avalanches.

"Caution is to be exercised in particular on near-ridge slopes," at elevations of around 2,200 meters. At elevations up to 2,600 meters, the forecast noted, "In steep gullies the avalanches can in some cases reach areas without any snow cover. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided."