An avalanche in Italy's Dolomite mountains has killed five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl and her father, according to rescuers.
The mountaineers, travelling in separate groups, were scaling Cima Vertana in the Ortler Alps at around 16:00 local time on Saturday when the fast-moving snow hit.
A group of three people was fully swept away by the avalanche and all died, said Italy's Alpine rescue service, Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.
Separately, the father and daughter were carried away by the avalanche and their bodies were recovered on Sunday. Two other climbers in a third party survived.
The alarm was raised by the survivors, triggering the rescue operation.
Olaf Reinstadler, a spokesperson for the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service, mentioned that the avalanche could have been caused by recent snow drifts that hadn’t properly bonded to the ice beneath. He pointed out that while climbing tours were popular and weather conditions appeared favorable, it was unusual for mountaineers to be climbing late in the afternoon, as descending would take until nightfall.
The bodies of the three climbers were found the same day before rescue efforts were suspended due to fading light and unsafe conditions. Rescuers faced additional hurdles as fog and low visibility initially grounded helicopters at dawn the next day. Fortunately, once conditions improved, search and rescue teams reached the site and located the bodies of the father and daughter by late morning.
