Skier films how avalanche sweeps him away
A skier is skiing down a slope in the USA when an avalanche suddenly breaks loose. His helmet camera films the accident. Other winter sports enthusiasts rush to help, but it takes time for the rescuing helicopter to reach them.
It is the nightmare of all winter sports enthusiasts, captured on video: A skier triggered an avalanche while skiing down Mount Washington in the US state of New Hampshire and was swept away by it. He is said to have suffered a serious lower leg injury in the accident, reports the Daily Mail.
On Saturday, 30-year-old Dominic Torro was with a friend in the so-called "Airplane Gulch", so named because an airplane crashed there in 1959. The video, which has now been published by the "Mount Washington Avalanche Center" as a warning for other skiers, initially shows Torro from a distance. Then the perspective changes to the man's helmet camera.
Shortly after Torro begins to ski down the slope, a large chunk of snow comes loose from the slope and he loses control. He tries to find his footing on the snow slab, but further masses of snow block his view. Torro descends faster and faster and is swept 150 meters down the slope, but is not buried.
Scared hours until rescue
His friend and other skiers rushed to the 30-year-old's aid and called the emergency services, according to the Daily Mail. However, it took hours for the rescue team to reach the injured man. Meanwhile, the first responders were on the phone with a specialist who gave them instructions for first aid, reports Glen Lucas from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
The skiers also managed to clear an area on the side slope to give the paramedics enough space for the rescue. After four hours, a helicopter finally reached the man and his helpers and took the injured winter sportsman to hospital.
At over 1900 meters, Mount Washington is one of the highest in the USA. The mountain is known for rapid weather changes, but the avalanche center has not issued an explicit avalanche warning at this time. "No danger rating does not mean that there is no danger," the center says. According to the center, around 25 people on Mount Washington require "rescue assistance" after avalanche accidents every year.
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Despite the incident happening in New Hampshire, USA, the impact of the avalanche was felt internationally, highlighting the risk of winter sports in various locations.
Dominic Torro's harrowing experience serves as a reminder that even in countries known for winter sports like the USA, safety precautions should never be overlooked during International Winter sports events.
Source: www.ntv.de
