At least two skiers dead & dozens buried in ANOTHER deadly avalanche in the Austrian Alps as major rescue op is underway

AT least two skiers are dead after a monster avalanche tore through the Austrian Alps amid with fears more victims could be buried under tonnes of snow.

A massive rescue operation is underway in the Arlberg region, with helicopters thundering overhead and mountain rescue teams racing against time.

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Video footage showed the avalanche ripping down near the Rendl cable car

Two skiers died in an avalanche in the Austrian Alps, with fears of more victims

A large rescue operation is underway in the Arlberg region near St. Anton am Arlberg

The huge slide hit near St. Anton am Arlberg on Friday afternoon, in off-piste terrain on the Rendl (Verwall) mountain.

Initial reports said several people may have been buried, while other sources spoke of five missing, according to Kronen Zeitung.

Two people lost their lives, and rescuers also attempted to resuscitate one casualty.

Another person was airlifted to hospital in Innsbruck.

Mayor Helmut Mall described chaotic scenes, with crews battling the snow as the search continued into the evening.

The avalanche was triggered in an off-piste ski area and was so vast it could be seen from both the village and the ski resort.

Mall said that despite the scale, he stressed there is “absolutely no” danger to the village or other inhabited areas.

The snow mass stretched far into the valley but did not threaten homes.

Radios crackled in the background as helicopters circled overhead.

Police, multiple mountain rescue teams – from St. Anton, Pettneu, Flirsch and Landeck – and emergency crews flooded the scene.

Footage showed the avalanche ripping down near the Rendl cable car as sirens wailed below.

The deadly St. Anton slide is just one in a terrifying series of avalanches across Tyrol.

According to the Krone newspaper, at least three people died on Friday – two in St. Anton and a 42-year-old father in Nauders.

In Nauders, below the Piengkopf mountain, a dad and his 16-year-old son from Germany were buried.

The teen was rescued with serious injuries, but his father could not be saved.

The grim incidents come as avalanche danger in Tyrol surges.

Below the tree line, the risk sits at level 2 out of 5 in most areas.

But above it, the danger jumps dramatically.

According to the Tyrolean state avalanche report, many regions are at level 4 – classified as high – after heavy fresh snowfall.

With off-piste skiers chasing powder, authorities are urging extreme caution.

The avalanche occurred on Friday afternoon in off-piste terrain on the Rendl mountain