An avalanche has killed 3 people on the closed Bellecombes piste at les Deux Alpes this afternoon. The avalanche risk was 3/5 (Considerable) at the time. The run was specifically closed due to the risk of avalanche. 12 people were caught by the slide, apart from the fatalities another victim is in a serious condition.
The victims include two pupils on a week long school trip from Lyon and a Ukranian who was not part of the group. The group leader, a school teacher, is in a serious condition in Grenoble University Hospital. Police are waiting to interview him. All the other pupils have been accounted for but a the search operation was continuing this evening to make sure that no other skiers were caught in the slide. Around 300 people were involved in the rescue operation, including ski teachers assisted by 3 dog handlers from the PGHM, 3 rescue helicopters and a thermal imagine camera. The debris is several meters deep which is complicating the search operation. There have been 7 avalanche fatalities in the French Alps since the start of January. With fresh snow expected tomorrow the conditions remain very unstable at altitude. The slide started from 2800 meters altitude and the group were at 2400 meters altitude. Investigators think it may have been remotely triggered. The run, which had not yet been open this season, was already tracked. None of the group had avalanche transceivers or other rescue equipment.
Elsewhere a 40 year old skier was saved in-extremis after an avalanche carried him into the lake at Tignes, he escaped with a light hypothermia and severe shock. PisteHors regulars will know this spot is a regular in the avalanche incident pages. Wayne Watson from Alpine Experience reports a number of avalanches in the area "both natural and from piste control work", include a massive slide at the summit of the Tommeuses with a 2 meter crown! At Avoriaz a large avalanche in the Arare sector finished on an open ski run. An important rescue operation was put into place by the resort involving 4 avalanche dogs. There were no victims.
http://www.ledauphine.com/isere-sud/2016/01/13/les-deux-alpes-une-avalanche-aurait-fait-un-blesse-grave-et-plusieurs-disparus
http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/alpes/haute-savoie/une-avalanche-termine-sur-une-piste-bleue-avoriaz-903593.html
http://www.alpineexperience.com/waynes-daily-diary/
http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/alpes/isere/une-avalanche-emporte-sur-une-piste-noire-aux-deux-alpes-3-personnes-903657.html
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