Industry News
A pair of 16-year-old German twin brothers got caught in an avalanche when they ventured off-piste in the Tux ski region in Austria, on Sunday, December 24, 2023.
According to the press release by the Tyrol police, the twins had left the patrolled ski area near Eggalm in the municipality of Tux and triggered an avalanche around 1:10 p.m. The brothers had skied various routes in the area several times that day. In the area of the “Nasse Tux Baches” (variant to “red slope 77a), the two stopped above a couloir where one of the brothers entered the couloir and triggered an avalanche. He was swept away by the avalanche and partially buried. A 64-year-old German skier skiing on the piste below the couloir was swept off his feet by the avalanche as well and fell, but was not buried and thankfully remained unharmed.
The partially buried 16-year-old was freed by his brother but had suffered serious injuries. According to the police report, he had broken his femur and had several rib fractures. A rescue helicopter from HeliRescue, “Alpin 5,” had to be called to get the injured skier off the mountain to the hospital in nearby Schwarz.
