German snowboarder killed by avalanche in Austria

While one of them was found stuck in the snow with his head sticking out, the 49-year-old from Berlin was buried by the avalanche. The snowboarders did not carry avalanche rescue equipment and two and a half hours went by before rescuers were able to locate the man under the snow, who had by then passed away, according to police. Swift location is key when someone is buried by an avalanche, with the chances of survival dwindling rapidly after the first 15 minutes. Standard avalanche safety gear includes a snow probe, an avalanche transreceiver - or tracking device - and a snow shovel. If a victim buried by an avalanche is carrying a transreceiver, others in the group or rescuers can use the signal to locate them, with the snow probe used to confirm the exact location of the body. Since snow carried downhill by an avalanche is firmly packed together, a shovel is vital to then be able to quickly dig out a victim. According to figures by the European Avalanche Warnings Service (EAWS), the 2025/2026 winter has been one of the most deadly in years, with at least 135 people killed by avalanches in the Alps and other European mountain ranges since October.