A 28-year-old Dutch woman has died in a skiing accident in Hintertux in Tirol and her friend, 27, was seriously injured, local media have reported.

The two, and their partners, were skiing down a red piste on the Hintertux glacier when the 28-year-old slipped on an icy patch and fell, the Tiroler Tagezeitung reported.

She skidded over 100 metres down the hillside and crashed through the safety net, flying 20 meters through the air and hitting a tree. Despite the efforts of rescue workers, they were unable to save her, the paper said.

The 27-year-old slipped on the same patch and ended up in a rocky gully. She was taken to hospital by air ambulance where her condition has not yet been released.

Some 30 minutes later, a 55-year-old German woman was also seriously injured on the same spot.

Alpine ski resorts have been hit by high temperatures and a lack of snow so far this season. Some 50% of the pistes in France and many in Switzerland, for example, are currently closed.

However, the Hintertux glacier advertises itself as offering all-year skiing. Current skiing conditions are described as ‘grippy, partially hard’.

Warning

The Dutch ski association issued a warning to people on winter sports holidays on Monday, saying the snow that is around is often of poor quality.

Skiiers and snowboarders are being warned to moderate their speeds and be extra careful. In particular, the lack of snow means pistes that are open are narrower and busier than normal, the association said.