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Teenage Skier Killed by Avalanche in Julien Alps

A 17-year old has been killed in the Julien Alps after setting off an avalanche whilst skiing off piste on the 7th February. A huge rescue attempt took place on Sunday evening and the skier was finally found, dead, after 5 hours, Kranj police said on Monday.

The accident happened around 3 PM in the area of Vogel in a main ski area of Slovenia. 2 teenagers were involved in the incident and the search inclued some 70 mountain rescuers, police officers and an army helicopter to find the perished skier, who had become buried by the avalanche. The second teenager, who was 16 years old, managed to survive the incident because he had not been buried by the snow.

According to Toni Smolej of the national Mountain Rescue Association, there was a great risk of avalanches on the slope where the two were skiing.

This accident has produced the third fatality among skiers in Slovenian mountains this year, and the second outside organised skiing slopes. All three victims were men.

Smolej said this year's death toll showed people still knew too little about mountains. He warned skiers not to underestimate the situation there and to use adequate equipment.

He said avalanche-related deaths were on the increase and were caused primarily by lack of experience.

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