Pirin Mountains: Avalanche Kills Skier in the Banderitsa Valley

Tragically, a 29-year old skier from Bansko was today killed in the Pirin Mountains by an avalanche which fell down one of the many avalanche gulleys on the western flank of Mount Todorin Vrah (Mount Todorka) towards the Banderitsa Valley. The accident was spotted from a lift by Macedonian tourists and the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services were swiftly on the scene. Despite quickly locating the victim, they were unable to revive him. Although an experienced skier and former ski-instructor, it seems that he, like many other skiers and snowboarders, was tempted off-piste into a region that is known to be at risk from avalanches. Almost exactly a year to the day, on 28 January 2009, a snowboarder was killed by an avalanche in the same place. Recent extreme temperature fluctuations combined with fresh snow are currently hightening the risk of avalanches in this region.