A UK skier has died in an avalanche in the French Alps. The 55-year-old died after being swept away in an off-piste area of the Chamonix valley, at the foot ofMont Blancon Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened at Grand Montets, Argentiere.
The man was found at 4.35pm by members of the ski patrol as they were preparing to close the slopes for the day. The team noticed an avalanche stretching two-thirds of a mile down the slope and while inspecting the area, they saw the man’s elbow sticking out of the snow.
Medics were flown to the mountain by helicopter but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Rescuers launched a search for anyone else caught in the avalanche. A spokesman for the prefecture of the Haute-Savoie said: “A very large avalanche occurred in the Grands Montets ski area, in the Herse sector. Due to very unfavourable weather conditions and the significant risk of a second avalanche, the rescue operation was halted late in the evening. The checks carried out confirm a provisional assessment of one victim.”
Police said: “The victim was a 55-year-old man of English origin. The reasons for the triggering of this kilometre-long and 400-metre-wide flow are currently unknown and an investigation is underway.”
The man is reported to have been skiing from the Herse chairlift. The avalanche risk was rated on the European Avalanche Danger Scale as four out of five, meaning “high”.
Strong winds in the afternoon led to the closure of the mountain’s highest lift, the Bochard gondola. The prefecture urged skiers to “imperatively respect the precautionary instructions given by the resorts and public services.”