Avalanche in Ortles Mountains Claims Lives of Five German Mountaineers

Avalanche in Ortles Mountains

Incident Overview

Rescue authorities confirmed that five German climbers were killed after an avalanche struck in northern Italy, and reports indicated that the disaster occurred near Cima Vertana in the Ortles mountain range.

Statements by "witnesses" revealed that the avalanche hit at about 4pm on Saturday while the climbers were still ascending, and experts noted the timing as unusually late for a summit attempt. Federico Catania of Alpine Rescue stated that victims were dragged into a lower gully, and worsening weather complicated the recovery.

Rescue Efforts and Discovery

Search teams recovered three bodies on Saturday, and operations continued overnight as crews battled falling temperatures and unstable snow layers.

Two remaining victims—a man and his 17-year-old daughter—were located on Sunday morning, and helicopters transported two surviving climbers to Bolzano for medical treatment.

Context and Risk Analysis

Authorities reported that the group consisted of three independent parties climbing separately, and preliminary findings suggested no external trigger beyond natural instability. South Tyrol’s high-altitude terrain remains popular with German mountaineers, and its highest peak, Ortles, rises to 3,905 meters (11,500ft). Safety experts noted that Italy records one of the highest ten-year averages for avalanche deaths in Europe, and analysts linked increasing incidents to heavier recreational use of backcountry zones following new snowfall.

📰 News On Avalanche, Ortles

+ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/02/five-german-mountaineers-die-in-northern-italy-after-being-hit-by-avalanche

+ https://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/

+ https://www.dw.com/en/europe