François Comte, ski and avalanche instructor with the French Mountaineering Federation (FFME) and well known figure in the world of Pyrnean ski touring and snowshoeing has been killed by an avalanche on Sunday (8 May 2011) while ski touring in the Pyrenees.
M. Comte was leading a club group, ski touring to the Pic de la Munia (3 133m) in the cirque de Troumouse, in Luz valley when the accident happened. It appears he had removed his skis to climb on foot when a hard slab broke under his weight taking him over a 150 meter cliff. A doctor who was touring the same route was unable to help M. Comte who has been killed instantly by the fall.
Well known in the world of ski mountaineering, M. Comte was a long term president of the Club Pyrénéïste Jurançonnais as well as serving in a senior position with the FFME.
