- An avalanche in Italy's South Tyrol region claimed the lives of two skiers and seriously injured three others on Saturday.
- The incident occurred at approximately 2,400 metres on the slopes of Hohe Ferse, near the Austrian border, catching a total of 25 skiers.
- A large-scale rescue operation was immediately launched, involving six helicopters and around 80 rescuers from various emergency services.
- This season has seen an unusually high number of avalanche fatalities across Europe, with 127 reported deaths as of 16 March, including 33 in Italy.
- Experts attribute the increased deaths to an exceptionally unstable snowpack and a rush to off-piste slopes, with climate experts linking snow instability to rising temperatures.
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