A day of skiing with his father almost ended in tragedy. A Canadian (29) fell under an avalanche in Sportgastein (Salzburg) and survived. He describes the most frightening moments of his life to the “Krone” …
“My arm still hurts, but other than that it’s actually pretty good.” A skier from Canada (29) is recovering from his injuries in Schwarzach hospital – and trying to come to terms with the events of the past few days. The man – he does not want to read his name in the newspaper – ended up under an avalanche in Sportgastein on Wednesday. The slab of snow tore him nearly 80 meters.
The shock experience was the end of a day of skiing with his father. “We had a lot of fun, I wanted to do one last descent on my own at the end,” he says. The man ventured up a 35-degree slope into open terrain alone in the Baukar-Riedel area. “Suddenly the avalanche broke loose and I was swept away. It all happened so fast,” he recalls the frightening moments. He hit a stone with his hand. “I immediately noticed that I was injured.” And: “I was under the snow for a very short time, but was able to free myself quickly.”
Other skiers reacted immediately and helped the man. With his last strength, the Canadian came back to the slopes – on just one ski. A Skidoo took the injured to the lift station. From there we went to the Schwarzacher hospital.
The man underwent surgery that same evening. The 29-year-old may be released from hospital on Friday. The man lives and works in the Gastein Valley.
On the mountains there is sometimes “considerable danger”
The avalanche warning service currently indicates a moderate to significant avalanche danger in Salzburg. Due to the strong winds of the past few days, the situation has deteriorated in many places. “Even with a small extra load, a medium-sized patch of snow can be released on steep terrain,” they say. Michael Butschek, head of the avalanche center, told the “Krone”: “For a correct assessment, experience is currently required.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
