Three More Avalanche Deaths in France

In Tignes and off piste skier was caught in the Lavachet area that is above Tignes Le Lac.

He was in a group and it is understood they triggered the avalanche themselves.

He was the only one caught in the slide.

Ski patrollers from the resort, who witnessed the avalanche, and were quickly on the scene and were joined by rescuers from the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité, CRS.

PlanetSKI reader, David Morgan, alerted us to the incident and took these images.

Avalanche in Tignes. Image c/o David Morgan.

Avalanche in Tignes. Image c/o David Morgan.

The victim, who was equipped with an avalanche transceiver, was found unconscious by the rescuers.

Despite resuscitation attempts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:19 pm.

He was a Spanish man in his 50s who was on holiday in the resort.

He was the father of two children in their twenties.

Avalanche in Tignes. Image c/o David Morgan.

Avalanche in Tignes. Image c/o David Morgan.

In the French Pyrenees two men, aged 60 and 70, died on a black run at the Grand Tourmalet ski resort, in a section of the ski area closed to the public due to a storm.

All the main runs had been closed by the severe weather conditions with winds exceeding 100 km/h.

They had set out on a ski touring expedition on Sunday and did not return.

Relatives of the two experienced and well-equipped skiers alerted the authorities.

Their bodies were found during the night between Sunday and Monday after the alarm had been raised.

They could not be recovered until Monday morning.

It is likely they were caught in a wind-slab avalanche said the authorities.

They are just the latest in a series of avalanches across January:

• Another avalanche death in the Alps
• Irish skier is latest to die in avalanche in the Alps
• Eight skiers die in three separate avalanches in Austria
• 13 year old boy is latest avalanche fatality
• More avalanches in the Alps with ‘high’ risk in places
• Three dead in avalanches in France

Once again the authorities are urging extra caution for those venturing off piste, and for people to have all the correct equipment and know how to use it.

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