A 19-year-old mountaineer from Germany tragically died on a mountain route in Austria. The young man from the Göppingen district in Baden-Württemberg was engulfed by a slab of snow on a scenic route on the Zugspitze and swept down a steep, rocky slope, a police spokesperson in Tyrol reported. Despite the arrival of mountain rescue services, help came too late for the 19-year-old. According to the police, he was traveling unsecured at the time of the avalanche.
His 21-year-old companion from the Lörrach district, conversely, was secured with a carabiner to a cable. Therefore, he did not fall into the ravine.
In Tyrol on Saturday, the avalanche danger was predominantly moderate at high altitudes, corresponding to level two on a five-point scale. However, the avalanche warning service noted that weak layers in the old snow could be triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts.
Source: dpa
