Father and daughter, 3 others killed in Italy avalanche

International

FIVE German climbers, including a father and his 17-year-old daughter, were confirmed dead after a powerful avalanche struck the Cima Vertana, also known as Vertainspitze, in Italy’s Dolomite mountains over the weekend.

The 3,545-meter (11,630-foot) peak, located in the Ortler Alps, became the site of a large-scale rescue operation that spanned two days amid treacherous weather conditions, a report by BBC said.

According to rescuers, the avalanche hit on Saturday afternoon as multiple groups of mountaineers were attempting to scale the mountain.

Three climbers traveling together were “fully swept away” by the snow and their bodies were recovered later that day before rescue operations were halted due to fading light and worsening conditions.

Olaf Reinstadler, spokesperson for the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service, told German media that the avalanche may have been triggered by recent snow drifts that failed to bond with the icy surface beneath.

He noted that while weather conditions had been favorable, the timing of the climb raised concerns.

“Climbing tours are popular, and the weather was good, but I wonder why they were climbing so late in the afternoon,” Reinstadler said, pointing out that their descent would have extended into nightfall.

Search operations resumed early Sunday but were initially hampered by heavy fog and low visibility, preventing helicopters from taking off at first light.

Once conditions improved, rescuers and avalanche dog units were airlifted to 2,600 meters to continue the search on foot.

By late morning, the bodies of the father and daughter were located and airlifted from the site.

Two other climbers who survived the avalanche had earlier raised the alarm, triggering the large-scale emergency response.

Officials described the rescue effort as one of the most challenging in recent months due to unstable snow conditions and rapidly changing weather.

The Italian Alpine Rescue Service, Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico, coordinated the operation with local authorities and mountain rescue teams from nearby Sulden.

The Dolomites are a popular destination for climbers and hikers, but rescuers have repeatedly warned that early winter weather patterns and recent snowfall have made the slopes particularly dangerous.(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)