Large-scale search operation after an avalanche in Lech.
©APA
Fortunately, an avalanche on Sunday in Lech/Zürs was less severe than initially feared.
Initially, ten people were searched for. Just before 1 a.m. Monday, police said four people were injured, one seriously, but the other six people were not affected by the avalanche. “According to the current state of knowledge, it can be assumed that no more people are missing,” the statement said.
“Security Search” on Monday
Nevertheless, “a security search will be carried out on Monday for final clarification”. Shortly before 3 p.m. on Sunday, a report of an avalanche in Zürs, in the area of the Trittkopf, was received. The slope below was also relocated.
video surfaced
On the mobile phone video of a witness standing in the distance, ten winter sports enthusiasts could be seen in the area of the avalanche path. That had aroused concern about ten buried people and triggered a large-scale operation with up to 200 rescuers at times.
In the course of the large-scale rescue operation, a partially buried man was rescued from the avalanche. He was flown to Innsbruck Regional Hospital with serious injuries.
Four people injured, one seriously
Since it was not clear at this point how many winter sports enthusiasts were still in the avalanche, the search was continued with 7 helicopters. In the course of the evening, the people who can be seen on the video reported. Some of them drove down into the valley independently and initially did not report their involvement in the avalanche accident. Ultimately, four of the 10 people were injured – one of them seriously.
