Three avalanches in Austria killed eight skiers in one day, with deadly slides in Bad Hofgastein, Gastein Valley and Pusterwald. Rescue helicopters, mountain teams and Red Cross dog squads responded, and officials warned the tragedies came despite "clear and repeated warnings" about avalanche danger. The fatalities add to a wider string of avalanche deaths across Europe and the U.S. this month.
Three Avalanches in Austria Kill Eight Skiers Despite "Clear and Repeated Warnings"
In this photo provided by the Bergrettung Pongau (Mountain Rescue Pongau), rescuers search for people after an avalanche in the Salzburg Pongau region of western Austria, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. / Credit: Bergrettung Pongau via AP(Bergrettung Pongau via AP)
Three separate avalanches across Austria on a single day killed eight skiers, officials said, underscoring how dangerous current snow conditions remain in the opening month of 2026.
A woman was fatally buried in an avalanche in the Bad Hofgastein area of western Austria at about 7,200 feet just after 12:30 p.m., the Pongau mountain rescue service reported.
Approximately 90 minutes later an avalanche in the nearby Gastein Valley, south of the city of Salzburg, swept seven people. Four were killed, two were seriously injured and one escaped unharmed.
In central Austria, an avalanche struck near the town of Pusterwald shortly before 4:30 p.m., killing three Czech skiers. Police said four members of their party were evacuated to safety.
Authorities dispatched a substantial rescue operation: four helicopters, mountain rescue teams, Red Cross search dog squads and a crisis intervention team were rushed to the scenes to locate and treat survivors.
"This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is," said Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, noting there had been "clear and repeated warnings" about avalanche risk.
These incidents follow other recent avalanche deaths in Austria this month, including a 13-year-old Czech off-piste skier killed in Bad Gastein and a 58-year-old ski tourer who died in Weerberg in Tyrol.
The deadly trend is international. In Switzerland, a German man died and four people were injured while cross-country skiing after an avalanche. Last weekend in France, avalanches at several Alpine resorts claimed six lives.
At least four avalanche fatalities have been reported this month in the U.S. West: a snowmobiler in Wyoming who was buried and killed; two men who died in central Washington state; and an earlier snowmobile fatality in California's Sierra Nevada.
Each winter, about 25 to 30 people in the United States are killed by avalanches, according to the National Avalanche Center. Officials and rescue teams continue to urge caution: stay on marked routes, heed local warnings, and avoid high-risk snowpacks.
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