Avalanche Kills Ski Tour Guide Near The Lassacher Kees On The Ankogel In Austria
Ankogel, Austria – On Sunday, February 21, 2016 a group of eight ski tourers from the German Alpine Association triggered an avalanche that killed the group’s ski tour leader while climbing the Ankogel, 3532 meters, in the High Tauern Range (Hohe Tauern) in the Austrian Alps near Mallnitz, Austria.
At approximately 10 AM, the group from Schwabisch Gmund, Germany triggered the avalanche as they crossed above steep and rocky terrain near Lassacher Kees. The ski tour guide was caught and carried approximately 300 meters through the rocky gully and was buried by the avalanche. He suffered fatal injuries.
The group called for help and then went to rescue the group leader. They located him with an avalanche transceiver and dug him out. Shortly after, another member triggered a second avalanche, but was uninjured.
Alpine police, mountain rescue, search dogs, and Red Cross responded by helicopter. They recovered the 39-year-old leader’s body and took all parties back to the valley.
The avalanche danger at the time was marked as considerable. See photos of the avalanche at Lawinenwarndienst Karnten. In the comments on the Lawinenwarndienst Karnsten, they right that the ski tour guide/leader was not a mountain guide.
Ankogel is a mountain in the Ankogel Group in the Eastern Tauern range of Austria. It is accessed by a cable car from Mallnitz that goes to 2,631 meters. It was first climbed in 1742. (Wikipedia).
______________________________________________________
Read more about the avalanche on the Ankogel near Mallnitz, Austria from these sources:
______________________________________________________
At least three other avalanche incidents happened on February 21, 2016, including:
- One Dead After Six Off Piste Skiers Caught In Avalanche Near Mittelallalin in Switzerland
- 13 Self-Guided Backcountry Skiers Caught In Avalanche Near Sunrise Lodge NW of Golden, BC
- Skier Killed In Out Of Bounds Avalanche At Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming
