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Tragic avalanche accident in South Tyrol: Five Bavarians die while ice climbing
Five ice climbers from the Allgäu region died in an avalanche accident in South Tyrol. Grief and uncertainty about the circumstances characterize the region.
Tragic avalanche accident in South Tyrol: Five Bavarians die while ice climbing
A heartbreaking accident has shocked the mountaineering community: On November 1, 2025, there was a fatal avalanche accident in the Ortler area in South Tyrol in which five experienced ice climbers, all from Bavaria, lost their lives. The accident happened on the north face below the peak of the same name at an altitude of around 3,200 meters, shortly before 4 p.m. The mountain rescue service in Sulden reported a snow drift that could have triggered the tragic avalanche, despite a warning level of just two out of five for the avalanche danger, as Merkur reports.
The victims include Steffen W. and his 21-year-old son Beat W. from Buchenberg in Oberallgäu as well as Selina S., Beat's girlfriend, and Matthias L. with his daughter Freda from the Munich region. Steffen W. and his son were experienced alpinists who also worked as trainers in a DAV Kempten climbing hall. Her death has triggered a wave of mourning in the Allgäu, especially at TSV Buchenberg and the Halblech Ski Club, which show their social solidarity with the bereaved. Steffen W.'s partner expressed her emotions on Facebook and said: "I love you with all my heart," as fr.de added.
The circumstances of the accident
The accident raises many questions. The mountaineers affected were in three groups: a rope team of three and two rope teams with two people each. Until the bodies were recovered on Sunday, the search was interrupted on Saturday due to darkness. Two other German mountaineers were able to survive the accident and notified the rescue services. However, it is uncertain whether the avalanche was triggered by the father-daughter combination rope team because, according to mountain rescue reports, the conditions were not considered particularly risky on the day of the accident.
The publication of expressions of grief on social media reflects the community's concern. While the death of the five mountaineers plunges the Allgäu into mourning, the search for further details about the exact circumstances of the avalanche accident and its causes remains open. The incidents are regularly discussed on platforms such as Facebook, where the community looks for answers.