The local Alpine Rescue is urging skiers to choose “conservative routes” and turn back when necessary

This handout image released by the Italian Alpine Rescue shows the avalanche that killed two men in the Couloir Vesses, a well-known freeride route in Courmayeur, in the upper Val Veny, northern Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

The avalanche that killed two people in Courmayeur, Italy, on Feb. 15, 2026.Credit : Italian Alpine Rescue via AP

 

Two skiers were killed and one more was injured in an avalanche at a luxury resort town in Italy.

The fatal incident occurred on Sunday, Feb. 15, in Courmayeur, located in the northern part of the country about 135 miles from the 2026 Winter Olympic events in Milan, per the Associated Press. The skiers were all off-piste, meaning they were skiing outside the designated resort slopes.

None of the victims have been named at this time, per AP.

This handout image released by the Italian Alpine Rescue shows the avalanche that killed two men in the Couloir Vesses, a well-known freeride route in Courmayeur, in the upper Val Veny, northern Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026

The avalanche that killed two people in Courmayeur, Italy, on Feb. 15, 2026.Italian Alpine Rescue

Search and rescue efforts consisted of 15 rescuers, three canine units and two helicopters, according to the outlet.

Twelve people have died in the Italian Alps within the first week of February alone, 11 of whom were swept away by avalanches, per a translated statement from Italy’s Alpine Rescue shared on Facebook.

The rescue service called the number “a tragic toll that reminds us how critical and treacherous the current snowpack situation is.”

They added that the “main problem” is “persistent weak layers in the snowpack, often covered by fresh or wind-blown snow — conditions that make avalanches unpredictable and easily triggered even by the passage of a single skier or mountaineer.”

“There are many dangerous spots, and they are difficult to identify, even for experienced people,” they continued.

The Alpine Rescue went on to urge skiers to check the avalanche bulletin before heading out on the slopes and to choose “conservative routes.”

“Always carry an avalanche transceiver … shovel and probe (and be sure you know how to use them),” they added.

“When doubt is high, turning back isn’t just a choice — it is the choice: waiting for better conditions makes the difference,” the service concluded in their post.

The Alpine Rescue did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.