Russian skier dies in Gulmarg avalanche

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 16

A foreign tourist died today and four others were rescued after being hit by an avalanche in a second such incident this winter at the famed skiing resort of Gulmarg, police and tourism officials said.

“One Russian skier was hit by an avalanche in Gulmarg and died on the spot,” a police spokesman said, adding that four more skiers were rescued from the spot.

The tourist has been identified as Stanislav, 30, a Russian national, who had arrived in Gulmarg on Wednesday.

An official of the Tourism Department said a group of five Russian tourists had gone uphill at 11.30 am, when they boarded the Gondola Phase 2 (cable car), and the avalanche had hit them at noon at Shinmai Bowl.

Gulmarg, located 50 km from here, is a well-known skiing destination located in north Kashmir which serves as the backbone for the region’s winter tourism.

The Russian skier is the second foreign tourist to die in an avalanche at Gulmarg this winter. Daniel Akesson, a 25-year-old Swedish tourist, had died last month when he was skiing on the mountainous slopes of Gulmarg and was hit by an avalanche.

Both the incidents took place despite repeated avalanche warnings issued by the administration which had specifically mentioned such possibility in Gulmarg.

The possibility of avalanches had increased drastically in recent days following a widespread spell of snow in the region.

The authorities had on Thursday issued the latest warning about the possibility of an avalanche in several mountainous parts of the Kashmir valley, including Gulmarg. The Disaster Management Authority had advised people living in these area to take precautionary measures.

Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Mahmood Shah said the Russian skier had violated the advisory issued by the department which had warned the tourists about the possibility of avalanches. “The group had ventured without a guide and it had also signed an indemnity bond that they would not go into backcountry where avalanches occur on a regular basis,” he said.

Second foreign tourist killed this winter

• An official of the Tourism Department said a group of five Russian tourists had gone uphill at 11.30 am on Friday, when they boarded the Gondola Phase-II (cable car), and the avalanche had hit them at noon at Shinmai Bowl
• The Russian skier is the second foreign tourist killed in an avalanche at Gulmarg this winter. Daniel Akesson, a 25-year-old Swedish tourist, had died last month when he was skiing on the mountainous slopes of Gulmarg and was hit by an avalanche