Avalanches kill five off-piste skiers in Austrian Alps

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete January 17, 2026 at 07:37 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Five off-piste skiers died in two separate avalanches in the Pongau area near Salzburg, Austria, on Saturday following heavy snowfall. One avalanche struck a group of seven skiers, killing four and seriously injuring one. Earlier that day, another avalanche swept away and killed a female skier in the same region. These incidents are part of a series of recent avalanche-related deaths in the Alps, including a 13-year-old Czech boy who died on Tuesday and a 58-year-old skier who died last Sunday. The Pongau mountain rescue service expressed condolences and emphasized the seriousness of the current avalanche situation.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Weerberg 30% France 30% Czech Republic 40% Tyrol 40% Switzerland 40% Bad Gastein 50% Gerhard Kremser 60% Salzburg ×260% Austria ×270% Pongau mountain rescue service ×270% Pongau ×480% Austrian Alps ×290%

Keywords

avalanches 100% skiers 80% austrian alps 80% off-piste skiing 70% mountain rescue 60% fatalities 50% snowfall 50% pongau 40% alpine terrain 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.80

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Austrian Alps

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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avalanches skiers austrian alps off-piste skiing mountain rescue fatalities snowfall pongau alpine terrain

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