Three skiers tragically lost their lives while skiing off-piste in Italy during avalanches that struck on Saturday, notably in the Trentino-Alto Adige and Lombardy regions, both of which serve as host locations for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The Alpine rescue service reported that two separate avalanches occurred in the Marmolada region of the Dolomites, not far from the location of the women’s alpine skiing events.

A male skier was found buried under snow after causing one of the avalanches while skiing in a group of four on Punta Roca, a 3,300-meter peak in the Marmolada range, which is the highest mountain in the Dolomites. Although his companions promptly initiated a search and rescue operation with the help of other skiers nearby, the arrival of formal rescuers was crucial but, unfortunately, too late to save him.

Meanwhile, two additional skiers were reported dead in Albosaggia, a village located in the lower Valtelina region, approximately 65 kilometers away. The occurrence of these tragic incidents highlights the dangers associated with off-piste skiing, especially in avalanche-prone areas, and raises concerns about safety measures in regions set to host international sporting events such as the Olympics.