A 20-year-old Polish skier died Monday after being caught in an avalanche while skiing off-piste in the Italian Alps near Brescia and Trento.
Avalanche Incident and Initial Response
The accident occurred on Monday, March 16th, on a glacier bordering the provinces of Brescia in Lombardy and Trento, according to “La Repubblica.” The Polish skier was skiing with his brother in a couloir near a marked ski run at an altitude of approximately 2700 meters when the avalanche struck.
The alarm was raised by other skiers in the area and soldiers from an alpine unit stationed near the ski resort. Upon arrival, mountain rescuers found the victim’s brother attempting to dig him out of the snow.
Rescue Efforts and Critical Condition
Rescuers immediately contacted the central rescue station, which dispatched a helicopter with a rescue team and avalanche dog. The young skier was extracted from the snow unconscious and in cardiac arrest.
Reanimation efforts were initiated, and he was airlifted to a hospital in Trento in critical condition, where he later died.
Off-Piste Skiing and Visibility
“They were off-piste, they had standard equipment,” explained Andrea Zampatti, a councilor from the nearby municipality of Ponte di Legno. “When rescuers arrived, the brother had already located him and cleared his airways, but it was immediately clear that the young man’s condition was very serious.”
Rescuers responded quickly because the couloir was close to the slopes, and lift operators witnessed the event. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to save the skier.