vijf doden in Tirol door lawines na zware sneeuwval
Tirol, zaterdag, 21 februari 2026.
Vijf skiërs zijn omgekomen in Tirol door meerdere lawines na hevige sneeuwval. De slachtoffers waren vrijwilligers buiten de piste. In St. Anton am Arlberg rukte een gigantische lawine drie mensen mee. In Nauders overleed een Duitse vader, zijn zoon raakte zwaargewond. Op dezelfde dag stierf een man in Linz onder een sneeuwruimer. Het aantal lawine-incidenten steeg fors. Reddingsdiensten meldden 32 inzetten in één dag. Het lawinegevaar blijft hoog vanwege de instabiele sneeuwdek. Sinds seizoensbegin zijn er nu 21 doden in Oostenrijk door lawines.
five fatalities in tyrol after avalanche surge
Five skiers died in Tyrol following a series of avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall across western Austria. The incidents occurred outside marked ski runs, primarily involving experienced off-piste skiers. Three people were killed near St. Anton am Arlberg when a massive slab avalanche released along a popular freeride route [1]. Another fatality took place in Nauders where a 42-year-old German man was buried during a descent with his teenage son, who survived but sustained serious injuries [2][3].
rescue operations strain emergency services
Emergency teams responded to 32 avalanche incidents across Tyrol on Friday alone, overwhelming rescue resources. At St. Anton, five individuals were caught in a slide estimated at 500 meters wide and descending roughly 700 meters down a steep slope [4]. Three victims were fully buried and pronounced dead at the scene. One survivor suffered severe trauma, while another had minor injuries [5]. In Nauders, the father and son attempted to cross a north-facing slope under unstable conditions when a 400-meter-wide snow slab broke loose, sweeping both downhill approximately 200 to 300 meters [2][6].
high risk persists due to unstable snowpack
Authorities maintain a high avalanche danger level across most Alpine regions in Austria. Recent storms deposited up to 40 centimeters of fresh snow on weak underlying layers, creating critical instability [4]. Christoph Mitterer from the Tyrolean Avalanche Warning Service stated that spontaneous releases remain likely, particularly on wind-loaded slopes above 2,000 meters elevation [5]. Forecast models predict continued hazardous conditions through the weekend, exacerbated by strong winds affecting snow distribution [5]. Since the start of the winter season, 21 people have now died in avalanches across Austria [1][2].
separate incident in linz claims worker’s life
On the same day, a fatal accident occurred in Linz, unrelated to mountain recreation. A 53-year-old man died after being struck by a snow plow during road clearance operations amid blizzard conditions [1][2]. Heavy snowfall disrupted transportation networks nationwide, including temporary closures at Vienna International Airport and major highways such as the A21 near the capital [3]. Over 30,000 households in Styria lost power due to storm damage to electrical infrastructure [3]. Emergency officials urge caution for both backcountry travelers and urban residents facing ongoing winter weather impacts [1][3].