Two Polish men, aged 31 and 41, died in an avalanche in Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains on February 25.
Avalanche Incident
The tragedy occurred on the afternoon of February 25 in the Mięguszowiecka Valley in the Slovak Tatra Mountains. An avalanche came down a gully descending from Niżna Przełączka and carried away two Poles. Witnesses to the accident were Czech ski mountaineers.
Before the helicopter arrived, skiers equipped with avalanche detectors managed to locate and dig one victim out from under the snow. Resuscitation was attempted, but unfortunately, the attempt to restore vital functions failed. Shortly afterward, rescuers dug out the body of the second victim.
Victims’ Background
The two men who died in the avalanche, aged 31 and 41, were known for their high-altitude activities, especially skiing and snowboarding off-piste.
Social Media Controversy
One of the men had posted a video on social media hours before the accident while in the Mięguszowiecka Valley. In the video, he mentioned they were checking avalanche conditions as volunteers for the Mountain Service.
Slovak rescuers took these statements seriously and published a statement on February 26 distancing themselves from any individual statements on social media. They emphasized that they have specialized units to assess avalanche danger.
Current Avalanche Conditions
In the Polish Tatras, above an altitude of 1700 meters, the third, significant level of avalanche danger is in effect, with moderate danger below that altitude.
Rescuers emphasize that avalanche conditions are unfavorable, with large amounts of wind-transported dangerous snow accumulated in many areas. Warming is expected to worsen the situation, particularly on southern slopes.
The snow cover on many steep slopes is moderately or weakly bonded, making avalanche release possible even with minimal additional weight. Movement requires significant experience and the ability to assess local avalanche danger.
Slovakian Conditions
In the Slovak Tatras, the third level of avalanche danger is also in effect. Slovak rescuers, like their Polish counterparts, note that forecasted warming is a factor increasing the avalanche danger.