Two avalanches in Friuli: one skier dies, five are saved

One ski mountaineer dead, one injured and four others safe: this is the balance of two avalanches that fell in the early afternoon at Casera Razzo, on the border between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto, and at Sella Nevea (Udine). A balance that could have been much more tragic, given that the first of the two avalanches was of considerable size, with a front of over 50 metres and a drop of about 50.

As summarised by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service, the first avalanche alarm was triggered shortly after 2 p.m. at Casera Razzo: a call was received on 112 by a person who had witnessed the event and noticed that a person had been swept away. The avalanche fell at an altitude of about 1,800 metres, not far from Col Merende and Forcella Tragonia, under a relief of 1,930 metres, on a northern slope above Casera Tragonia. Rescue was immediate, also because not far away, an Alpine Rescue team exercise was underway from Fvg and Veneto, with an avalanche dog unit. The rescuers called for reinforcements and so, in addition to the Civil Protection helicopter, the Fire Brigade and the regional helicopter also arrived. From the ground, on the other hand, Guardia di Finanza soldiers also arrived, along with a total of three avalanche dog units. Despite their efforts, in inclement weather conditions, the person was only found, lifeless, after several hours of searching. He was under a metre of snow.

 The first rescue call was followed by a second call for a similar event: an avalanche at Sella Nevea, at an altitude of about 2,000 metres along the ski-mountaineering itinerary that leads from Sella Ursic to Conca Prevala. The avalanche swept away a person who was hiking with four friends, apparently all of Slovenian nationality, who miraculously avoided being buried. It was the companions who extracted the friend from the snow: his condition did not seem worrying, he was always conscious although with many injuries and in hypothermia. The person was stabilised by the second medical helicopter of the regional helicopter and transported to Sella Nevea, where he was taken in charge by an ambulance; then, again by helicopter, he was taken to the hospital in Udine.

The incidents occurred in a context of marked snowpack instability. The latest bulletin of the Regional Civil Protection had predicted a danger level 3 (Marcato) above 1,400 metres for today, due to the presence of fresh snow and the formation of wind-blown slabs near ridges and gullies, as well as persistent brittle layers hidden in the shady slopes. Last Tuesday, another avalanche had fallen right at Sella Nevea, sweeping away two Croatian ski mountaineers, one of whom had been dragged for a hundred metres. What saved his life was the airbag, which had kept him on the surface, allowing his companion to quickly spot him and free him.

At around 2.30 p.m., two different operations began by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service for falls at Sella Nevea and Casera Razzo. The avalanches involved a total of six people.