Five people have died in avalanche-related incidents in Austria since Friday, February 21, 2026, as dangerous conditions persist in the Alps. The recent fatalities underscore the risks associated with winter sports in mountainous regions and have prompted authorities to issue widespread warnings.
The latest death occurred Saturday, February 22, 2026, in Serfaus, in the Landeck district, when a 41-year-old man was caught and buried in a snow slide. He was recovered from nearly six and a half feet of snow and resuscitated before being transported to a clinic in Innsbruck, where he later died. This brings the total number of avalanche fatalities to five in just two days.
The man was skiing with a 29-year-old German national in a forested area near the “Untermotzwiesen” and Erdpyramiden when the avalanche was triggered. The Austrian skier was standing below a steep, south-facing slope near the “Hintergreitbach” stream when the snow slab released, extending approximately 490 feet in length due to a fracture propagation. The German companion and other skiers immediately began a search using avalanche transceivers and initiated resuscitation efforts, which were later taken over by a medical helicopter team and mountain rescue.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Tyrol Control Center had received reports of 13 avalanche occurrences. Authorities believe all other reported slides were unoccupied. Nine were confirmed as having no one involved, while the status of three others required helicopter confirmation to rule out any potential victims.
Due to the continued high avalanche danger, the province of Tyrol issued an AT-Alert on Saturday morning, sending notifications to all logged mobile phones about the risk of snow slab avalanches. “We urge the public and our guests to stay in secured areas and avoid off-piste skiing, even below the treeline,” said Elmar Rizzoli, head of Tyrol’s Center for Crisis and Disaster Management. He appealed to the public to remain on marked slopes and heed the recommendations of avalanche commissions and local authorities.
Experts are strongly warning against travel in off-piste areas. Four people died in Tyrol on Friday due to avalanches, and numerous injuries were reported across 33 rescue operations. The Austrian Armed Forces were deployed Saturday morning to assist local avalanche commissions at the request of the Tyrol State Warning Center.
The deployment is currently scheduled to last until 6:00 PM on Saturday, according to the Federal Ministry of Defense. Plans include reconnaissance flights to assess the situation, as well as transporting personnel for the mountain rescue teams, who will then conduct avalanche blasting and wind loading operations. The AW169 helicopter is equipped with advanced avionics, powerful sensors, and a rescue winch, making it well-suited for operations in high alpine terrain.
On Saturday morning, the Tyrol Avalanche Warning Service reiterated the urgency of the current weather situation. They warned that winter sports enthusiasts could easily trigger avalanches, with numerous danger zones even below the treeline. Further snow slides are expected, and some, like those seen Friday in St. Anton am Arlberg, could be particularly large. The risk of spontaneous avalanches is also increasing with the rain.
Tyrol Governor Anton Mattle (ÖVP) also appealed to the common sense of alpine sports enthusiasts in a press release Saturday: “Mountains demand caution and personal responsibility!” He noted that 35 avalanche events were reported on Friday, 13 of which involved people. Mattle emphasized that the safety of emergency personnel is his top priority.
High avalanche danger was also reported in Vorarlberg. In the southern part of the province, and especially above the treeline, the avalanche warning level was four on a five-point scale: “Avalanches can be easily triggered by individual winter sports enthusiasts on all aspects and can become large. Danger zones are numerous and are also located in the area below the treeline. Conditions are very dangerous for activities outside secured areas,” according to the avalanche warning service. The Arlberg Pass road will be closed indefinitely starting at 5:00 PM on Saturday: “Arrival and departure are then no longer possible,” Lech-Zürs Tourismus announced on its website.
The avalanche warning service in Lower Austria also reported a significant danger, with a rising trend. Further snowfall at higher temperatures is expected on Sunday, and the snow line is expected to rise. Rain could fall on the snowpack at lower elevations, increasing the avalanche risk below 4,900 feet.
The Salzburg Avalanche Warning Service raised the danger level above the treeline to four, indicating “great danger,” on Saturday. They also warned of further snowfall, a rising snow line, and strong winds overnight into Sunday. “The situation remains very precarious!” the experts concluded.
In Upper Austria, the warning service described the situation as “tense,” but maintained a danger level of three, indicating “considerable” risk. (APA)
