What authorities said happened
Authorities said five skiers were killed in a pair of avalanches in the Salzburg Pongau region of western Austria on Saturday.
Four skiers were killed by a snow slide in the Gastein Valley, south of the city of Salzburg, that swept away seven people. Authorities said two people were injured, with one seriously injured, and that a third person escaped unharmed.
Two incidents separated by about 90 minutes
About 90 minutes earlier, a female skier died after being buried under an avalanche in the nearby Bad Hofgastein area, at an altitude of about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet), authorities said.
Avalanche risk warnings and rescue response
In comments carried by the APA news agency, Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service, said the situation showed the seriousness of the avalanche conditions.
“This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is,” Kremser said. He also noted “clear and repeated warnings” about the avalanche risk.
Authorities said four rescue helicopters, mountain rescue and Red Cross dog teams, and a crisis intervention team were rushed to the scene.