3 Alpine student guides killed in Italy avalanche
Sadly Lorenzo Holzknecht, along with Sandro Dublanc and Elia Meta, died yesterday in an avalanche in Val di Rhemes (Italy) while training with The National Alpine Rescue Corps.They were in the Grand Paradiso area in the Aosta Valley, Italy when the accident happened. Lorenzo, was a 39-year-old ski mountaineering champion having won the gold medal at 2010 ISMF World Championships, 2009 and 2012 European Championships, and many more medals in ISMF World Cups and races like Pierra Menta or Trofeo Mezzalama.The avalanche bulletin at the time reported ”The cold fresh snow as well as accumulations formed with strong winds at times remain unstable in the high mountains” and that “Avalanches can be triggered in the surface layers of the snowpack”. Skiers should “be careful in areas near ridges, in hollows and gullies and on steep slopes”.
The three trainees and their coach were descending the slope as it broke and the avalanche swept them away. The steep slope broke away under their skis and collapsed. The teacher-guide, a 49-year-old from the Aosta Valley, also was caught in the avalanche but survived and raised the alarm. An investigation is underway.
Lorenzo Holzknecht pictured here.
