Andorran Ski Worker Dies from Avalanche Burial Injuries

A 32-year-old Andorran ski resort worker from Ordino has died from severe neurological injuries after being buried by a slab avalanche near the Balma piste at Ordino-Arcalís.

The incident occurred on Sunday around 11:15am in the Feixans area, within the skiable domain but off-piste. Employed by Secnoa on the snow cannon team for nearly a decade, the man was properly equipped with an ARVA locator and other devices while traversing a diagonal path under a telecabina cable car, a route skiers use to access fresh snow on steeper terrain. A skier had passed shortly before, followed by the worker, with a group waiting behind. Investigators from the police mountain rescue team suspect the preceding skier or the worker triggered the wind-packed slab.

Members of the trailing group located and excavated him after about 15 minutes, finding him in cardiorespiratory arrest. Resort piste crews assisted, joined by firefighters, two police mountain rescuers, a dog handler, and a paramedic. On-site resuscitation enabled a helicopter evacuation to Nostra Senyora de Meritxell hospital's intensive care unit, completed in under 15 minutes after a 45-minute operation. Despite initial recovery from arrest and days of treatment, the Servei Andorrà d'Atenció Sanitària (SAAS) confirmed on Wednesday that he had not overcome his brain injuries, leading to his death.

Police continue probing why the worker was in the area outside his duties and whether the gully needed blasting; no helicopter or manual explosives had been used recently due to limited snow buildup. The site's geomorphology promotes slabs, while wind barriers and a thalweg limited flow to pistes. Resort officials called it a non-habitual spot for avalanches of modest size, with no effects on other skiers or operations, and noted that protocols worked effectively. Colleagues remembered him as dedicated, professional, affable, and passionate about the mountains, expressing deep shock.

The event unfolded amid level 4 (considerable) avalanche risk at higher elevations from recent heavy snow, winds, and weak layers; it eased to level 3 with warming and solar radiation, though slab risks persisted.