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This European ski season has seen an unprecedented number of avalanche deaths. The latest occurred in Austria, where a man died after being buried under five feet of ice.
The incident occurred Saturday in Marchkopf, Austria. According to the U.S. Sun, Federico Giubilato, 41, and a friend, 36, were backcountry skiing when they triggered an 820-foot-wide avalanche. The friend managed to break free with just a hand injury and called emergency services. Giubilato, however, was still trapped.
Around half an hour later, mountain rescue services arrived in two helicopters. Crews attempted to save Giubilato by digging through the ice, but it took 30 minutes to reach him. By the time he was uncovered, the skier had tragically passed away.
Giubilato and his skiing companion both hailed from Bassano del Grappa, in northern Italy. Giubilato was an outdoor enthusiast, taking part in downhill mountain biking, surfing, climbing, and freeskiing.
The tragedy is the latest in a string of avalanche fatalities in Europe this ski season. Just a week ago, 25 skiers were caught in an avalanche in the Italian Alps, causing multiple deaths and injuries. So far The European Avalanche Warning System (EAWS) has reported 135 fatalities for the 2025-2026 season – above the annual average of 100.
According to the Associated Press, experts believe that the high death toll has been caused by unusually unstable snowpack and a high number of skiers flocking to backcountry runs following heavy snowstorms.
