Third British skier killed by avalanches in French Alps
A tragic incident unfolded in the French Alps as a British man was one of three individuals who lost their lives due to avalanches on Tuesday. The group of skiers, including five individuals, was skiing off-piste near La Grave when they were struck by an avalanche. The prosecutor’s office in Gap revealed that two skiers were killed in the incident; one was a Polish-born British man who resided in Switzerland, and the other was a Polish national. Both victims were reportedly in their thirties.
Following this devastating event, another avalanche occurred in Valloire, in the Savoie department, where several hikers were swept away. The mayor of Valloire confirmed that one person had lost their life and two others were critically injured, all of whom were French citizens. Prior to these incidents, two British skiers lost their lives in an avalanche at the Val d’Isère ski resort in Savoie. Stuart Leslie, aged 46, and Shaun Overy, aged 51, were skiing off-piste under the supervision of an instructor when they were caught in an avalanche.
It is important to note that a significant number of skiing and snowboarding fatalities in countries like France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy occur off-piste rather than on designated ski runs. The risk of avalanches is significantly higher in off-piste areas, with snowslides accounting for approximately half of all fatal winter sports accidents. In a separate incident on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif, two skiers lost their lives and another was injured in an off-trail avalanche.
These recent tragedies have contributed to the toll of avalanche-related deaths in France this winter, which has now reached 28. Typically, France records an average of 25 avalanche-related deaths each winter. At the time of the first avalanche near La Grave, the area was under a “high” risk level of four on a five-point scale, as indicated by the French meteorological service. Additionally, the Savoie department was issued a rare red alert, the highest level possible on the avalanche risk scale, which has only been activated twice in the past 25 years.
Authorities have launched investigations to determine the causes of the fatal avalanches and the injuries sustained. These tragic incidents serve as a sobering reminder of the dangers that come with off-piste skiing and the importance of adhering to safety guidelines and avalanche risk assessments in mountainous regions.