Tourist becomes first victim of Tatra avalanche this winter
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
19.12.2012 09:14
A tourist died on Tuesday after being covered by snow following an avalanche that swept down the Świnicka Pass in the Tatra mountains.
photo - PAP/Grzegorz Momo
The man was found buried under half a metre of snow in a critical condition by six members of the Tatra Voluntary Rescue Service (TOPR) and was rushed to hospital in Zakopane, though doctors failed to save his life.
The tourist he was with survived the avalanche.
The man is the first avalanche casualty this winter in the Tatra mountains in southern Poland.
Authorities say that the chances of surviving being buried by an avalanche are small, with survival chances reducing significantly after 15 minutes.
TOPR gives regular avalanche forecasts on its web site: the forecast for Wednesday, 18 December is 'moderate'. (pg)