The case in summary: In Lyngenfjorden in Nord-Troms, between two and four people die in the mountains every year. Last weekend, a foreign man died after falling down a mountainside in Lyngen. Arild Sørsand has experienced repeated fatal accidents in connection with the tourist industry around the Lyngenfjord and calls the mountain area behind his house an “epicentre”. Mountain tourism has a high death toll globally, and experts believe that fatal accidents are a natural part of this type of tourism. Nikolai Schirmer, a well-known skier, believes that the risk of death is part of mountain tourism and that the death toll in Norway is relatively modest compared to other well-known mountain destinations. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It’s brutal to say it, but it doesn’t take long between each fatal accident here, says Arild Sørsand. He is a retired headmaster and an experienced hiker from the village of Kjosen in Lyngen. Together with his wife, he lives on a farm during the Rørne period. On Sunday, they followed the drama that unfolded in the hillside behind the house, when a German in his 50s was brought down dead from the mountain. The deceased belonged to a guided tour group of seven people, and was declared dead in the mountains early on Sunday afternoon. Fell 600 meters to his death According to operations manager in the Troms police district, Sigurd Fossli, the party with the deceased German was on his way down from the mountain on Sunday morning. Suddenly the tourist must have disappeared over a ridge while the fog covered the top. He is said to have fallen 600 meters down the mountainside, and was later pronounced dead by health personnel from an ambulance helicopter. On Sunday afternoon, the dead body was brought down from the mountain by a rescue helicopter. He is the first tourist to lose his life this year, just before the tourist season gets into full swing in the Lyngen area. A review carried out by news shows that every year between two and four people die in the mountains in Northern Troms: 16.03.2014: Snowmobile driver dies in the mountains in BalsfjordA snowmobile driver dies in a self-inflicted landslide at Brennmotind/Rássevárri. 10.02.2015: Snowmobile driver taken by an avalanche in Nordeisa. A snowmobile rider taken, buried and killed in a flak avalanche remotely triggered by the accident victim. 17.02.2015: Two taken by an avalanche in Lyngen, one killed. Two people on their way down Fastdalstinden. One of them triggered a flak avalanche, was buried and died. 27/03/2016: Man dies in avalanche in LyngenMan fell from a scree on Russelvfjellet, triggered an avalanche, was buried under 1.5 m of snow. Death.16.03.2017: A door in an avalanche at LyngseidetTurfølge of 4 triggered an avalanche. 2 is taken. One found quickly and survived. One found after 2 hours, who dies the next day. 29/03/2018: Snowmobile driver dies in Nordreisa Snowmobile triggered avalanche in the forest. One taken, alone and killed. 12/04/2018: Person triggers avalanche in LyngenA person fell through scree on Russelvfjellet and triggered an avalanche below. Died from injuries.02.01.2019: Four die in landslide in Balsfjord01.04.2019: Man dies on Reingjerdfjellet in Balsfjord09.04.2019: Man dies at Sofiatiden in Lyngen10.04:.2019: Man from Tromsø dies on Sultinden in Lyngen30.03.2022: 1 person dies on Eiriksaksla Tour group of 5 taken by avalanche on Eiriksaksla on Veidalsfjellet in Lyngen. 3 were injured and one died. 07/04/2022: Three die in Beretlia in the Lyngen Group of 9 involved in an avalanche. 4 taken, 3 buried, all buried dead. 31.03.2023: Two die in Kvalvikdalen in Lyngen 31.03.2023: One dies in an avalanche in the Tverrelva in Nordreisa. 10.03.2024: German man loses his life in Rørnestinden – I would have preferred to be without Karl Richard Paulsen manages Visit Lyngenfjorden, and collaborates with most of the tourism companies that run mountain tourism in Nord-Troms. He realizes that the death toll for tourists visiting the area is high. Karl Richard Paulsen is general manager of Visit Lyngenfjorden. Photo: Ingrid Wester Amundsen – It is clear that there are very high numbers if we look at the last 20 years, says Paulsen. – Every single fatal accident in our area should have been avoided. – What responsibility do Visit Lyngenfjorden, and the member companies, feel in ensuring that no more tourists die in the Lyngenfjellene? – Many of our guests are used to mountain people, and are used to traveling in mountainous areas, he says and adds: – We try to ensure that the tourists have the information they should have before they meet the mountains, and work every year to ensure quality this work in the companies. – Will happen again In their own corner of the world at Kjosgården, Arild Sørsand and his wife are waiting for the tourists to take the Lyngsfjellene seriously. Over many years, he and the local community in Kjosen have experienced repeated fatal accidents in connection with the tourist industry around the Lyngenfjord. He calls the mountain area behind his house an “epicentre”. And he knows more lives will be lost in the years to come. – It happens, and we know it will happen again. It’s shameful to say that, but unfortunately you get used to it, says Sørsand, as he looks up at the mountains where he has spent his whole life. – You learn to live with it. See the full interview with Arild Sørsand in front of the mountain where a German lost his life on Sunday morning. High death rates in global mountain tourism According to Nikolai Schirmer, the risk of death is part of global mountain tourism. He is a well-known skier and has produced the TV series “Exposed” about free skiing in the mountains. He believes the Lyng Alps are among the best-known destinations with the lowest death toll in the industry. – It is always tragic when someone dies. But death is something that comes with life in the mountains and in nature, says Schirmer to news. Nikolai Schirmer is a well-known free rider and TV producer. He knows the global mountain culture well. Photo: Privat It is not just the mountains around the Lyngenfjord that claim several human lives from their visitors every year: Nikolai Schirmer believes that the death toll in Norway is relatively modest compared to other well-known mountain destinations, such as the mountain Mt. Blanc in Chamonix, in the French and Italian Alps. Every year over 100 tourists, guides and locals die in this mountain area. – Many people know that there are risks associated with traveling in the mountains. These are mountains and nature, where you don’t always have full control over everything, he believes. The deadliest mountains in the world: Photo: NTB Here is an overview of the deadliest mountain areas in the world for tourists and employees in the mountain tourism industry: In the world: Annapurna- Nepal: 32 deaths per 100 registered expeditions. K2 – Pakistan/China: 23 deaths per 100 registered expeditions. Nang Parabat – Pakistan: 21 deaths per 100 registered expeditions. Dhaulagiri – Nepal: 16 deaths per 100 registered expeditions. Kangchenjunga Nepal/India: 15 deaths per 100 registered expeditions. See the rest of the list here In Europe: In Norway: – An unhealthy and unrealistic relationship to death Schirmer believes there is an exaggerated focus on fatal accidents in the mountains in Norway: – I think it is a correct analysis that society today has an unhealthy and unrealistic relationship until death. He believes that most tourists who travel in nature are aware that there are risks associated with the activity. – A few dozen people died in the mountains. The mountain is a bit like the road; both entail a risk of death, but nevertheless entail an unavoidable risk of life. Arild Sørsand hopes, but doubts, that they will avoid more deaths in the Lyngen mountains. Photo: news The inhabitants of Lyngen know this all too well, while they are now waiting for a large influx of foreign ski tourists to the municipality.
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Every year tourists die in the mountains around Arild – news Troms and Finnmark
