Multiple people were rescued in Sweden after an avalanche which prompted a vast search and rescue operation.
The avalanche came on Wednesday afternoon in Sweden’s Kiruna municipality, with ten people reportedly swept away and trapped underneath the snow.
At least seven fire engines, two ambulances, and one helicopter are responding to the incident.
Swedish authorities also contacted their Norwegian counterparts to lend extra personnel and another rescue helicopter.
Officers were first alerted of the avalanche at 1:45pm local time but did not arrive at the mountain until 2:30pm, the rescue service’s command operator said.
While waiting for authorities to arrive, other people on the mountain were able to dig out five people buried under the snow.
All five people were rescued but three sustained injuries.
Avalanches are not uncommon in Sweden’s steep terrain, especially around late winter and spring when warming temperatures and rain can cause wet-snow avalanches.
Most avalanche activity in Sweden is concentrated in the Scandinavian mountain range, particularly the Abisko and Riksgränsen areas, as well as the Kebnekaise mountains.
In March last year, two Italian citizens skiing in the far north of Sweden were injured by and later died due to an avalanche powerful enough to sweep away a helicopter.
This article was amended on 27 March 2026. It previously contained inaccurate data about the number of people killed by avalanche in Sweden.
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