Avalanches on Italian mountains claim 13 lives
Fresh snowfall over weak layers created dangerous avalanche conditions across the Alps.
Video shows a Feb. 5 avalanche rescue in Livigno, where Italy’s fire service airlifted a skier trapped on a ridge after venturing into a remote mountain area.
Multiple avalanches in the Italian mountains have claimed at least 13 lives over the past week, according to Italy’s Alpine Rescue Corps and The Associated Press.
Italy’s Alpine Rescue Corps has warned of elevated avalanche danger across parts of the Alps after fresh snowfall accumulated on top of weak underlying snow layers, creating an exceptionally unstable snowpack.
Members of the Italy Alpine Rescue Corp. respond after an avalanche between Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto, on Feb. 1, 2026. The rescue group said the avalanche claimed the life of a local firefighter. (Image credit: CNSAS)
Rescue officials said teams responded to 10 avalanche incidents in the past week about an hour from Milan city, including deadly slides in Trentino-Alto Adige and Lombardy, involving backcountry skiers. Video released by the Alpine Rescue Corps showed crews using a helicopter to reach the scene and extract victims. The avalanches left two people dead and one skier seriously injured.
On Friday, rescuers were also called to Livigno, where a skier was trapped on a ridge following an avalanche. The skier was not injured and was transported to a safe area.
Other fatalities reported during the week included an ice climber in Valle d’Aosta, as well as hikers on Monte Grappa in the Veneto region and in the Marche region, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press reported that the avalanches and recovery efforts occurred away from well-maintained ski slopes, primarily in backcountry terrain, where avalanche risk is significantly higher.
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