A 51-year-old Austrian man and one of his two sons were tragically buried by an avalanche on Rosskopf mountain. Despite rescue efforts, both could not be revived upon recovery. The other son and a family friend narrowly escaped the avalanche.

Police in Tyrol, Austria, reported that a father and his son tragically lost their lives due to a sudden avalanche on Thursday around midday.

The group, consisting of the father, his two sons, and a family friend, had set out from Schwendberg, located near Hippach, with the goal of reaching the Rosskopf mountain peak on backcountry skis.

According to police, just before noon, the group was attempting to descend a steep eastern peak in single file, a technique designed to minimize the risk of avalanches. During this descent, a massive slab of snow detached, sweeping the 51-year-old father and his 22-year-old son about 300 meters away and burying them completely under the snow.

A large-scale rescue operation was launched, involving two rescue helicopters, one police helicopter, dog handlers, 33 mountain rescuers, and two Alpine police officers.

Approximately an hour after the avalanche, the 22-year-old was found beneath the snow, but despite efforts, could not be revived. The father was located about 20 minutes later, but he too was beyond the point of reanimation, according to police.

Authorities had raised the avalanche warning to level 3 in parts of Tyrol following heavy rains before Christmas. This level, on a 5-step scale, is classified as "considerable," which indicates a moderate danger. However, the European Avalanche Warning Service notes that about half of fatal avalanche accidents occur under these conditions. Level 3 warnings can persist for up to a third of the avalanche season.