The Piz Palü mountain in canton Graubünden, southeastern Switzerland.
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Three of the fatalities over the long weekend were the result of avalanches, while one ski tourer fell to his death, authorities have reported.
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Two ski tourers were caught out and killed on Sunday by an avalanche on the Pigne d’Arolla mountain in canton Valais, at an altitude of almost 3,800 metres.
A third member of the group survived the accident and alerted rescue services. The two victims were found dead at the foot of the mountain’s north face. According to police, they had fallen around 800 metres.
A ski tourer was also killed in an avalanche accident on the Piz Palü in canton Graubünden on Sunday. The 38-year-old was swept several hundred metres into the depths and buried, according to Graubünden cantonal police. His touring partner was unharmed.
Also on Sunday, a ski tourer fell to his death from the Breithorn in Valais. According to police, the 26-year-old Swiss man slipped on an icy patch and fell around 300 metres. The two people who had been accompanying the victim were unharmed.
A total of 23 people have been killed in avalanches in the Swiss Alps since October 1, 2023.
Adapted from German by DeepL/dos
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How I survived an avalanche in Switzerland
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The advice – try to ‘swim’, create a breathing space with your hands – is not so easy to follow when you’re tumbling in a wave of freezing snow.
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