Avalanche in Velka Fatra mountains with at least one casualty

An avalanche in the Velka Fatra mountains killed at least one person on Monday, Air Transport Europe emergency helicopter service spokesperson Zuzana Hopjakova told TASR, adding that two helicopters were dispatched to the scene. The avalanche fell in the area of the Sucha dolina valley, between the Ostredok and Krizna hills. Flight paramedics gradually brought in 13 mountain rescuers and five dogs to search for two men. "After more than two hours, they managed to find in the avalanche the first buried man (46). Unfortunately, he showed no signs of life and the doctor pronounced him dead on the spot," said the spokeswoman. The second of the buried men hasn't yet been found. The rescue operation was interrupted after nightfall due to the risk of more avalanches and the possible threat to the intervening rescuers. According to the latest information, those buried were a pair of ski alpinists. The moving mass of snow reportedly completely covered them.