Un act of courage avoided the worst that followed an avalanche in Switzerlandprecisely in Engelberg. Matteo Zillaa 37-year-old Italian creative director, rescued one skier was trapped under a blanket of fresh snow last January 10th, during a day characterized by intense rainfall and reduced visibility.
Avalanche in Switzerland: sighting of the skier and immediate rescue
The video of the intervention, spread on social mediacaptures the dramatic scene: Matteo Zilla notices in the distance an arm – and then a foot – emerging from the snow about 50 centimeters deep. «I’m coming, everything’s fine!», shouts the Italian as he advances with difficulty towards the victim. Thanks to the experience gained in the mountains, the young man first removed the snow from the man’s face to ensure breathingthen proceeding to dig vigorously to free it. The skier was finally extracted unharmed from the grip of the ice.
The story of the Italian rescue in Engelberg
«We were skiing in an area of fresh snow – said Zilla, retracing those excited moments -. I saw a guy trying to go up without skis, I thought he had lost them. Instead he was buried. Emotions took a back seat: it was important to save him». The video, which shows the effectiveness of the reaction of the Italian rescuehas collected thousands of views, raising awareness of the importance of quick reflexes off the track.
Avalanche warning: the risks in the Alps
The episode comes during a particularly critical winter for safety at altitude. In fact, at least they can be counted 17 deaths from avalanche in Europe in the last month, despite i repeated “extreme risk” alarms issued by the authorities. Last weekend alone, eight victims were recorded in the Alps, a heavy toll that makes Matteo Zilla’s gesture rare and precious news of hope for every skier who frequents the mountains.
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