In a tragic turn of events, five skiers have lost their lives following two avalanches in the French Alps on Wednesday, as confirmed by local officials. The first avalanche struck in Val-Cenis, located in the southeastern Savoie region, where it claimed the lives of four Norwegian skiers. The victims included three men who died instantly, while a female skier succumbed to severe hypothermia and a cardiorespiratory arrest later in a nearby hospital. The Norwegian skiers were part of a larger group of seven, with the other three members reportedly unharmed.
Jacques Arnoux, the mayor of Val-Cenis, informed AFP that each skier in the group was equipped with an avalanche beacon, which is a safety device commonly used for off-piste skiing activities. This type of skiing, also known as backcountry skiing, involves areas that are not marked or maintained for skiing, thereby increasing danger levels. "It was an avalanche of great size which was triggered outside the ski area," Mayor Arnoux stated, underscoring the scale of the incident.
In a separate incident further north in the Haute-Savoie region near Chamonix, a 30-year-old Swiss woman lost her life in another avalanche. She had been skiing off-piste with her brother—who was taken to the hospital for precautionary tests—and their father, who remained uninjured. All three skiers had equipped themselves with anti-avalanche airbags, which are designed to help with flotation during such incidents.
This incident follows a previous tragedy on Tuesday when a 55-year-old Brazilian-Portuguese skier was killed in a "very large" avalanche in the Mont Blanc area, drawing further attention to the safety concerns associated with off-piste skiing in the region. Authorities have reiterated the importance of exercising caution and adhering to safety protocols when venturing into these perilous terrains.
