A 23-year-old British skier has been found dead at the foot of a cliff in the French Alps resort of Avoriaz.
The man’s body was discovered on Monday morning in the popular skiing destination, which sits on a shelf above the town of Morzine.
A local police spokesman told The Sun: “The deceased is an English national who is thought to have been skiing on Sunday evening. His family have been informed.”
The identity of the victim has not been publicly released.
A municipal employee moves barriers as he temporarily opens a road for cars to drive in a convoy from Bessans to Bonneval-sur-Arc in the French Alps
GETTY
The young man had been skiing with friends on Sunday before spending time at the popular après-ski venue La Folie Douce in Avoriaz.
He later decided to ski down the mountainside alone.
When he failed to return to his accommodation, his concerned friends raised the alarm.
The alarm was raised after the skier got lost while attempting to navigate the slopes by himself.
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Search and rescue teams conducted an extensive search of the area before locating the man’s body the following day.
Police believe the skier may have taken a wrong turn and, upon realising he was in trouble, removed his skis before falling to his death.
The victim’s body was evacuated by helicopter and later pronounced dead by emergency workers.
Local prosecutors and judicial police have launched an inquiry to determine the cause of death.
The body was initially transported to Chamonix, where it was identified by next-of-kin.
The death occurred in what is known as a notorious blackspot for skiers in the French Alps.
The cliff area where Avoriaz is situated becomes particularly dangerous when visibility is poor, either during evening hours or in misty conditions, especially when skiers venture off-piste.
In 2018, a tragic incident claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy who fell 80 metres from the same cliff.
A stock image of the Alps
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His 10-year-old brother was found badly injured beside him after both got lost in the late afternoon.
More recently, in March 2024, a 68-year-old British skier died after colliding with a tree at high speed at Avoriaz while trying to avoid other skiers.
Avoriaz is part of the Portes du Soleil ski area, one of the largest cross-border skiing domains connecting 12 resorts between France and Switzerland.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.”
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death remains ongoing, with local authorities working to establish the exact sequence of events.