Avalanche leaves three dead in Austrian Alps - BBC News

A major rescue operation is under way after the avalanche in western Austria.

43 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPAImage caption, Helicopters and search teams headed to the scene near the village of Vent (file pic)By Bethany BellBBC News, ViennaA major search and rescue operation is under way after an avalanche in the Ötztal Alps in western Austria.

Three people have been killed, and a fourth has been taken to hospital.

Austrian reports describe a snow slide of 180m (600ft) in length and 80m in width close to the village of Vent, not far from the Italian border in the province of Tyrol.

Police say 17 members of a Dutch ski group were in the area at the time, along with four local mountain guides.

Four of the Dutch group were buried by the avalanche, which took place close to the Martin-Busch Hut, at an altitude of 2,500m. Police said two of them had died before they could be rescued.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68786994

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