Avalanche Kills Five German Climbers in Italian Alps

An avalanche on Saturday afternoon killed five German mountaineers near Cima Vertana (Vertainspitze) in Italy’s Ortler/Ortles mountains in South Tyrol while they were ascending toward the 3,545 m summit at roughly 3,200 metres; the slab of snow broke at about 4 p.m. The climbers were travelling in three independent rope teams; three bodies (two men and a woman) were recovered on Saturday and the final two victims — a father and his 17-year-old daughter — were found on Sunday, while two other men survived and were airlifted to a hospital in Bolzano. Rescuers suspended operations overnight and recovery efforts were hampered by worsening high-altitude weather, with helicopters, drones and thermal imaging used in difficult conditions. Authorities said the party had been taken by surprise, are investigating the circumstances, and the incident has renewed concerns about avalanche risk and safety in popular high-altitude backcountry areas.