More Avalanche Chaos In Europe, Boarders Killed, Train Derailed

Two 37-year-old Austrian snowboarders were killed by an avalanche on Sunday, February 15, in the freeride area of the Stubai Glacier in Tyrol, Austria. The tragedy unfolded near Neustift in the Stubai Valley, where a large-scale search operation was launched Sunday evening after the two men failed to return from a planned snowboard tour.

Shortly before 6 p.m., a woman contacted police when the two snowboarders did not return as agreed. At around 7 p.m., authorities located the vehicle of one of the men in the parking lot of the Stubai Glacier cable car station. An initial search of the valley station area and surrounding terrain yielded no results. At approximately 7:30 p.m., officials initiated a large-scale search operation.

What followed was a race against time and the elements. The search involved a significant emergency response, including Neustift Mountain Rescue, Tyrol Mountain Rescue dog handlers, Neustift Volunteer Fire Brigade, multiple drone teams, a police helicopter, and alpine police units. A mobile phone signal analysis narrowed the search area to terrain between the Dresdner Hut and the Gamsgarten valley station.

Drone imagery later revealed an avalanche in the freeride area known as "Mutterbergalm" at an elevation of approximately 2,115 meters (6,940 feet). The thermal imaging and visual cameras mounted on the drones had spotted what ground crews could not see in the gathering darkness — a debris field spread across the steep terrain.

The buried snowboarders were located on Sunday night, but emergency services "could only confirm the death of the two men," police said in a statement. The confirmation came after hours of searching in frigid conditions, with rescue teams working methodically through the avalanche debris to locate the victims.

The deaths occurred against a backdrop of heightened avalanche danger across the Austrian Alps. A level-four avalanche risk warning — out of five — is currently in place in the area following heavy snowfall in recent days. Level four represents "high" danger, a designation that warns even experienced backcountry users that conditions are volatile and unpredictable.

The Stubai Glacier, one of Austria's most renowned ski destinations and its largest glacier ski area, includes designated freeride zones for advanced riders seeking ungroomed terrain. But "designated" does not mean "safe" — particularly when recent storms have deposited unstable layers of wind-loaded snow across the high alpine.

The pattern is grimly familiar: heavy snowfall followed by warming temperatures creates unstable layers that can release with little warning. Backcountry enthusiasts, drawn by the promise of fresh powder and open terrain, venture into zones where the margin for error is measured in milliseconds — a single turn on the wrong slope can trigger a cascade that moves faster than any human can escape.

Authorities have not released the names of the two victims, respecting the privacy of their families as they process an unimaginable loss. What is known is that both were 37 years old, both were Austrian, and both were experienced enough to venture into freeride terrain on one of the country's most challenging glaciers.

Whether they were caught by surprise, whether they triggered the slide themselves, or whether conditions simply overwhelmed their skill and judgment may never be fully known. What is certain is that somewhere in the Stubai Valley, families are grieving two men who left for a day on the mountain and never came home.

The woman who called police at 6 p.m. when they failed to return did everything right. The rescue teams who mobilized helicopters, drones, and avalanche dogs in the fading light did everything they could. Sometimes, in the mountains, that is not enough.

The Stubai tragedy is far from isolated. In neighbouring Italy, two skiers were killed on Sunday and another was in serious condition after an avalanche struck a slope near Courmayeur. Avalanches have already killed several dozen people across the French, Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps so far this season.

At least five people were injured after a regional train derailed in the Swiss Alps in inclement weather on Monday morning, authorities said. The accident near the town of Goppenstein occurred as the region was under its second-highest avalanche warning, level 4 out of 5.

The train was en route between Goppenstein and Hohtenn, derailing at around 7 am with 29 people on board, the Valais cantonal police stated in a press release. "According to the initial elements of the investigation, an avalanche could have crossed the railway shortly before the convoy passed," the police said.

The incident triggered a major emergency response in the remote alpine hamlet. The operation involved two ambulances, a helicopter, and eight mountain rescuers. Two fire and rescue trains were also deployed. Authorities said one of the injured was evacuated to Sion Hospital, while the four others were treated on-site by emergency services.

The affected train was a RegioExpress that departed Spiez at 6:12am. According to BLS, there were 29 passengers on board at the time of the derailment. The train operator confirmed that the derailment occurred in the Stockgraben area after an avalanche swept across the railway line, though it remains unclear whether the train struck the snow debris directly or whether the avalanche had damaged the tracks moments before the train arrived.

The incident has disrupted traffic on the Lötschberg corridor, a key north–south link through the Alps, with the line suspected to be closed until at least 4am on Tuesday. Train services between the Goppenstein and Brig in canton Valais have been interrupted until "at least until 4pm". Delays and train cancellations are to be expected. Replacement bus services have been established on multiple routes to keep passengers moving through the region.

The derailment comes amid treacherous conditions across the canton of Valais, where heavy snowfall has created unstable layers prone to sudden release. Fresh snowfall and storms have resulted in a large amount of wind-drifted snow in Valais. Avalanches can be easily triggered or occur spontaneously in these conditions, according to the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF.

The Goppenstein area has been particularly volatile. A previous avalanche on Thursday morning at Goppenstein disturbed rail and road traffic, without causing any injuries or damage, the police said. That incident temporarily cut off the Lötschental valley from the outside world and forced the suspension of the car shuttle train for several hours — a warning sign that went unheeded before Monday's more serious collision.

Switzerland is renowned for its extensive and punctual rail network, with frequent services between cities, towns and even villages. Rail enthusiasts come from all over the world to ride on some of the most picturesque routes or those with exceptionally steep climbs. The country's mountain railways are engineering marvels, threading through terrain that would be impassable by road.

Investigations into the precise sequence of events are ongoing, with emergency services and rail infrastructure teams working to clear the line and determine whether the avalanche struck the train directly or had already deposited debris on the tracks. For now, the Lötschberg corridor remains severed, and the residents of Valais are left counting their blessings that the toll was not far worse.