TL;DR
Federico Giubilato, 41, was skiing off-piste in Marchkopf, Austria when an 820-foot-wide avalanche buried him under 5.2 feet of snow. Rescue crews reached him within 30 minutes, but it was too late. His death is one of more than 60 avalanche fatalities across Europe this season.
Italian Tourist Killed by Avalanche on Off-Piste Run in Austria
An Italian tourist has died after being buried by an avalanche while skiing off-piste in Marchkopf, Austria. Federico Giubilato, 41, was caught in the slide on Saturday afternoon alongside a friend. His companion survived with a hand injury. Federico did not.
What Happened on the Mountain
Federico and his 36-year-old friend, both from Bassano del Grappa in northern Italy, were skiing off-piste when the avalanche hit. The slide was approximately 820 feet wide and buried Federico under around 5.2 feet of snow and ice.
His friend managed to free himself and called for help. Mountain rescue teams arrived by helicopter roughly 30 minutes after the call. It took a further 30 minutes to dig through the snow and reach Federico's body. By that point, the mechanical engineer had died. He would have turned 42 the following Monday.
Who Was Federico Giubilato
By all accounts, Federico was someone who lived life on his own terms. He was an experienced extreme sports participant — regularly riding downhill mountain bikes, surfing, climbing, and freeskiing. He wasn't new to risk, and he wasn't new to consequences.
