Five German mountaineers reported dead after an avalanche near Vertainspitze mountain, Italy

At least 5 people were reported dead after an avalanche in the Ortler area near the Vertainspitze mountain, sweeping up two groups of German mountaineers during their ascent on November 1.

The first group, which consisted of three people, got swept away by the snow rushing downhill and were later found dead, the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS) reported.

Meanwhile, two of the four members of the second group managed to escape, while the other two, a father and his daughter, were reported missing and later found dead.

A spokesperson for the Sulden Mountain Rescue Service said the avalanche on the 3 545 m (11 630 feet) Vertainspitze mountain may have been triggered by recent snow drifts that failed to bond with underlying ice. He noted that weather was good and climbing tours were common, but questioned why the group ascended late in the day, as the return would extend into nightfall.

All three climbers were found and recovered on Saturday, before fading light forced rescuers to halt operations. Poor visibility and fog prevented helicopter deployment early Sunday, but once conditions improved, rescue teams and avalanche dogs were flown to 2 600 m (8 530 feet) and continued on foot.

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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