Avalanche
On Wednesday afternoon, an avalanche in Obertauern, Austria, triggered a major rescue operation and a wave of media speculation involving former Croatian ski racer Ivica Kostelic. The incident occurred at around 1 p.m. near the old Zehnerkar mountain station, where two freeriders accidentally set off an avalanche at an altitude of 2,150 meters.
One of the freeriders, a 45-year-old Croatian, was buried under more than three feet (one meter) of snow but was successfully rescued by his partner, a 30-year-old Austrian from Salzburg. Both athletes were uninjured and managed to ski down to the valley. The avalanche was around 150 to 200 meters (500 to 650 feet) wide and 350 to 400 meters (1,100 to 1,300 feet) long.
Initial reports from Austrian media identified Kostelic as the individual buried in the avalanche. However, the four-time Olympic medalist quickly refuted these claims in a Facebook post, clarifying that he was merely an eyewitness to the event. “I was in the pool with my kids when I heard the strange news,” Kostelic wrote. He explained that his name likely surfaced because he provided information as a witness during standard post-incident procedures.
“I was in the pool with the kids when the strange news came to me and they were all very excited. Today I was a direct witness of an avalanche in Austria in which, according to my knowledge, no one was hurt and, like every citizen, I gave my information in the procedure after such an event. I guess that’s how my name got on the news.
I’m skiing with my family and I would ask all media to respect my privacy and do not disturb me and my family. Thank you.”
– Ivica Kostelic statement
The avalanche prompted a large-scale emergency response involving over 40 personnel, including mountain rescuers, dog handlers, helicopter crews, and medical staff. Michael Koch, head of operations for the Obertauern mountain rescue team, emphasized the significant avalanche risk following recent snowfall in Salzburg’s alpine region. Obertauern had seen over two feet of snow in the few days before the avalanche. The avalanche danger rating in Obertauern was reported as “considerable,” or level 3 on the European Avalanche Danger Scale.
This incident comes just weeks after Kostelic narrowly escaped danger during a kayaking trip off Montenegro’s coast, where he was rescued by Montenegrin armed forces after being swept out to sea by strong winds and waves.
Ivica Kostelic is one of Croatia’s most accomplished athletes. He boasts a storied alpine skiing career marked by 26 World Cup victories, 60 podium finishes, and the coveted overall World Cup title in 2011. He earned four Olympic silver medals across three Winter Games and claimed a World Championship gold in slalom in 2003. Renowned for his versatility and resilience despite recurring injuries, Kostelic excelled in multiple disciplines, from slalom to super-G.
