An avalanche occurred in Italy’s Dolomite mountains, resulting in the deaths of five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl and her father. The incident took place around 16:00 local time on Saturday as the climbers were ascending Cima Vertana in the Ortler Alps. Rescuers reported that a group of three climbers was completely swept away by the avalanche, leading to their fatalities.
In a separate incident, the father and daughter were also carried off by the avalanche, and their bodies were recovered the following day. Two other climbers in a different group managed to survive. The alarm for rescue efforts was raised by the survivors from these groups.
Olaf Reinstadler, a spokesperson from the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service, indicated that the avalanche on the 3,545-meter (11,630 ft) mountain, also known as Vertainspitze, may have been triggered by recent snow drifts that had not adequately bonded with the underlying ice. He noted that although climbing tours are popular and weather conditions were favorable, it raised questions about the decision to climb in the late afternoon, as descending would have extended into the night.
Rescue operations began for the three climbers who were part of the same group and were suspended due to diminishing daylight and safety concerns. Initially, helicopters could not take off on Sunday morning because of fog and low visibility. Once conditions improved, rescuers and avalanche dog units were airlifted to an altitude of 2,600 meters and proceeded on foot. By late morning on Sunday, the bodies of the father and daughter were located.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3x4w1g5v3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss