Vienna, Austria
AP
—
Five skiers were killed Saturday in a pair of avalanches in the Salzburg Pongau region of western Austria, authorities said.
Four skiers were killed by a snow slide in the Gastein Valley, south of of the city of Salzburg, that swept away seven people. Two were injured — one seriously — and a third escaped unharmed, the Austria Press Agency (APA) reported.
“This tragedy painfully demonstrates how serious the current avalanche situation is,” said Gerhard Kremser, district head of the Pongau mountain rescue service. He noted “clear and repeated warnings” about the avalanche risk.
Four rescue helicopters, mountain…