The latest avalanches highlight the dangers of off-piste skiing, as local authorities urge skiers to take precautionary measures.
Tragedy Strikes French Alps as Five Skiers Lose Lives in Avalanches
Tragedy Strikes French Alps as Five Skiers Lose Lives in Avalanches
Avalanches claimed the lives of five skiers in tragic incidents across the French Alps, prompting safety concerns.
In a devastating series of events on Wednesday, five skiers lost their lives due to two separate avalanches in the French Alps. Local officials have reported that one of the fatal incidents occurred in Val-Cenis, situated in the south-eastern region of Savoie, where four Norwegian skiers perished. Three of the victims were killed instantly, while a fourth, identified as a woman, died later in the hospital after experiencing severe hypothermia and cardiac arrest. This group of skiers, which comprised seven members in total, had been traversing off-piste areas when the avalanche struck, though the remaining three skiers escaped unhurt.
Jacques Arnoux, the mayor of Val-Cenis, informed AFP that each skier was equipped with avalanche beacons, a crucial safety measure for off-piste skiing, which is known for its increased risks. "It was an avalanche of great size which was triggered outside the ski area," Arnoux stated, underscoring the potential dangers inherent in venturing into unmarked territories.
In a second incident, a Swiss skier, a 30-year-old woman, died in the Haute-Savoie region near Chamonix. She was skiing with her brother, who sustained injuries but was taken to the hospital for further examination, while their father remained unharmed. The trio also possessed anti-avalanche airbags for safety and were skiing in the Mont Blanc massif when disaster struck. Alarmingly, just the day before, a 55-year-old Brazilian-Portuguese skier lost his life in a “very large” avalanche while skiing in a similar off-piste setting in Mont Blanc, heightening concerns about safety in these popular but perilous skiing areas across Europe.
Jacques Arnoux, the mayor of Val-Cenis, informed AFP that each skier was equipped with avalanche beacons, a crucial safety measure for off-piste skiing, which is known for its increased risks. "It was an avalanche of great size which was triggered outside the ski area," Arnoux stated, underscoring the potential dangers inherent in venturing into unmarked territories.
In a second incident, a Swiss skier, a 30-year-old woman, died in the Haute-Savoie region near Chamonix. She was skiing with her brother, who sustained injuries but was taken to the hospital for further examination, while their father remained unharmed. The trio also possessed anti-avalanche airbags for safety and were skiing in the Mont Blanc massif when disaster struck. Alarmingly, just the day before, a 55-year-old Brazilian-Portuguese skier lost his life in a “very large” avalanche while skiing in a similar off-piste setting in Mont Blanc, heightening concerns about safety in these popular but perilous skiing areas across Europe.
