Dutch Hiker Swept Away & Killed By Avalanche In Southern Germany

According to Bavarian Police, a 24 year-old Dutch hiker was killed in an avalanche in Schönau am Königssee in southern Germany on Thursday. At the time of the slide, the man was on a hike with relatives. He was brining up the rear when an avalanche swept him away. He fell 60 – 80 meters and hit his head on the rocks below, which ultimately ended his life. This is the first avalanche death of the 2017/18 season.

After the man was swept away, his family quickly descended the mountain and reached him, but they were unable to help. They couldn’t contact the police until two hours after the incident due to the poor cell phone reception in the area. Rising temperatures in the afternoon caused the 20cm layer of snow to slide down the grassy slope and sweep the man away.