Eight skiers rescued alive after avalanche at Austria’s Stubai Glacier

Eight skiers were rescued alive after being buried by an avalanche at the Stubai Glacier in the Tyrolian Alps in Austria on Thursday.

Four were lightly injured, with two flown to a hospital.

The group, consisting of five men and three women, was skiing off-piste when they triggered the avalanche.

A large-scale rescue operation involved over 250 helpers, including mountain rescue teams, avalanche dogs, and helicopters.

By afternoon, all skiers, from Germany, Bulgaria, and Austria, were found and had suffered minor injuries.

The avalanche occurred in the Daunscharte pass, a hazardous area outside the protected ski runs and was caused by crossing a slope with significant snow build-up. Some skiers used airbags for safety.