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- Security
- Avalanche
- Winter
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Vienna (pte025/21.03.2013/17:15) - accidents compared to the previous season.
Police, the board of trustees for alpine security and mountain rescue teams said at a joint press conference in Innsbruck that 102 people had lost their lives in mountain accidents (including all "atypical" alpine accidents such as work or traffic accidents) as opposed to 93 deaths registered during the 2011/2012 season.
The number of ski tourers who have died on Austrian slopes has almost doubled - from 12 during the 2011/2012 season to 23 this season.
Experts have also noted fewer people were involved in accidents on Austrian ski slopes this winter season.
The total number of accidents on the slopes has fallen from 3,935 (2011/2012) to 3,733.
Some 4,331 skiers and snowboarders were involved in 2,450 accident while there were 4,573 injured in 2,521 accidents in 2011/2012.
The president of the board of trustees for alpine security Karl Grab said: "There were also 30 percent less avalanche-related accidents this year."
There were 97 accidents of that nature in Austria this year (119 in 2011/2012), accounting for 32 deaths. Amongst the avalanche victims, there were nine Austrians and 14 German nationals.
Alpine Security president Gabl said that 30 to 40 percent of all deaths on the ski slopes were following cardiovascular failures or heart diseases.
The Alpine Police in Tyrol said that ski-tour accidents where the victim was out on the slopes alone have become more frequent.
Director Norbert Zobel said: "Everyone must know the risk is always higher when out on the slopes alone."
Off-piste skiers and tourers are generally very well equipped. Tyrol mountain rescue director Peter Veider said that a considerable number of these people where now equipped with avalanche-airbags but that the exterior conditions were too easily ignored.
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