Austrian media report a Slovenian lorry hit the support pillars of an avalanche screen leading into the tunnel, badly damaging the structure. The driver, presumed to be a Slovenian citizen, died on impact.

The tunnel remains closed for now as relief workers try to remove the lorry debris from the road. Kleine Zeitung newspaper also reported that the static integrity of the avalanche screen would be checked, which could take some time.

The 3750-metre single-tube tunnel is the key road link between north-western Slovenia and the Austrian province of Carinthia and is traversed by thousands of lorries each day.

It has been closed due to accidents numerous times since it opened in 1991 and is considered risky despite numerous upgrades over the years. Plans are afoot to construct a second tube, but ground is yet to be broken on the EUR 300m project.