One French, two British skiers die in French Alps avalanche after rare red alert
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Mountain rescuers after an avalanche emergency response mission in the French Alps on Jan 29. At least 25 avalanche deaths have happened in France this winter season.
PHOTO: AFP
- An avalanche in the French Alps on Feb 13 killed three off-piste skiers, including two Britons, in Val d'Isere.
- The incident followed a rare "red alert" on Feb 12 due to Storm Nils dumping heavy snow, creating very unstable conditions.
- This brings the French Alps' avalanche death toll to at least 25 this winter, with most fatalities occurring since January.
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PARIS – An avalanche killed three off-piste skiers, including two Britons, in the French Alps on Feb 13, prosecutors said a day after several ski resorts shut down due to the risk of snowslides.
The avalanche in Val d’Isere swept away six skiers, killing one French national and the two Britons, prosecutor Benoit Bachelet said.
A third British citizen suffered minor injuries, he added.
Emergency services responded quickly but could not prevent the deaths, a resort official said, noting that all of the victims had avalanche transceivers.
There have now been at least 25 avalanche deaths in France this winter season, with the majority occurring since January.
The deaths followed a rare, day-long red alert across the south-eastern Savoie region on Feb 12 – a danger level issued only twice before since the system was introduced 25 years ago.
The warning prompted several resorts to close all or part of their pistes.
On Feb 13, the red alert was lifted in Savoie but the risk level remained high across the Alps, with “very unstable snow cover” especially above 1,800m to 2,000m altitude, according to the Meteo France weather service.
Storm Nils, which passed through France on Feb 12, dumped 60cm to 100cm of snow, according to the weather service. AFP
