Dutch tourists killed in Austria avalance were 33, 35, & 60; Two from Apeldoorn

The three Dutch tourists who died in an avalanche in Tyrol, Austria, on Thursday were 33, 35, and 60 years old, the Austrian police announced last night. A fourth Dutch skier was injured. They are 32 years old and in a hospital in Zams, in the state of Tyrol. Their injuries are not life-threatening, the police said.

According to De Stentor, the 33- and 35-year-old victims were men from Apeldoorn. They played for the same hockey team at club AMHC. “Our green-white heart turns black today,” the club wrote on its website. The men had been AMHC members for years. The club has canceled all its weekend matches. “We deeply sympathize with the families and wish family, team members, friends, and everyone else who knew the men a lot of strength with this terrible loss.”

The four skiers were part of a group of 17 Dutch people skiing with four Austrian guides in the municipality of Sölden. They were on their way to the Martin-Busch-Hütte, a hut in the Ötztal Alps at an altitude of 2,500 meters. The avalanche occurred around 11:00 a.m., burying the four victims in the snow. Rescue servicers got the guide and the other 13 group members to safety. They were uninjured.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the situation. “Our embassy in Vienna is currently investigating what happened and stands ready to provide consular assistance if necessary,” a spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. Dutch representatives in Austria visited the area.

The warmer weather in the Alps in recent days increased the chance of spontaneous avalanches, the Dutch Ski Association told RTL. “Normally, avalanches are mainly caused by people themselves, but this one occurred spontaneously,” a spokesperson said. He did not yet know whether the victims were members of the association.