In brief
An avalanche in Italy's Dolomite mountains resulted in the deaths of five German climbers as they were attempting to scale the Cima Vertana peak. Rescuers reported that a group of three was completely swept away, while a father-daughter pair was also carried off by the avalanche but found later. The incident occurred during an afternoon climb, raising concerns about safety protocols for late descents.
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, explained that the avalanche on the 3,545-metre (11,630ft) mountain, also known as Vertainspitze, could have been caused by recent snow drifts that had not bonded to the ice below.
He noted that climbing tours were popular and the weather conditions were good, but questioned why the mountaineers chose to climb in the late afternoon, which would complicate their descent.
The bodies of the three climbers were recovered on Saturday, but the recovery operation was halted due to fading light. Efforts resumed Sunday morning, delayed by fog, before rescuers successfully located the remaining father-daughter pair by late morning.
