An avalanche occurred in the Wołowy Żleb area near the trail to Rysy, Poland’s highest peak.
The Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (TOPR) team received an emergency call at 10:30 AM from two ski mountaineers concerned for their friend, who had been caught in the slide.
Fortunately, rescuers established contact with the injured man, who had been buried up to his waist.
Challenging conditions in the Tatras
Despite difficult weather conditions, including low clouds, fog, snowfall, and strong winds, a TOPR helicopter managed to reach the site, allowing for a quick evacuation.
The injured ski mountaineer was airlifted to a hospital in Zakopane (southern Poland, near the Tatra Mountains) with only minor injuries.
Initial fears that more people might be trapped led to an extensive search using avalanche dogs and detectors, but after several hours, no additional victims were found.
Rescuers from the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue (TOPR) airlifted an injured ski mountaineer to a hospital in Zakopane (southern Poland) after he was partially buried by an avalanche near the trail to Rysy, Poland's highest peak. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot
Successful Rescue Operation by TOPR
The avalanche, described as unusually large given the season’s low snowfall, measured several hundred meters in length and around 300 meters in width. Its front edge reached close to Czarny Staw pod Rysami, a glacial lake near the peak.
The rescue operation involved 22 TOPR rescuers and the helicopter crew. While the ski mountaineers were equipped with standard avalanche safety gear (detectors, probes, and shovels), conditions in the mountains remain hazardous.
Avalanche danger is currently at Level 2 (moderate) on a 5-level scale, and hiking in the Tatras is strongly discouraged due to icy trails, snowfall, and poor visibility.
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Source: PAP/IAR/PR24