Hautes-Alpes avalanches continue

The series of fatal avalanches continued over the weekend in the Hautes-Alpes. A 41 year old man from Lyon, ski touring with a couple of friends above Molines-en-Queyras triggered a slide yesterday at around 14h30. The group were close to the the summit of the Rua. The man was found after forty minutes under the snow using his avalanche beacon but his friends were unable to revive him.

Four ski tourers from the Isere also triggred an avalanche on Saturday afternoon on the slopes of the Petit Peygu (2662 meters) above Cervières near Briançon. A man and a woman were buried by the slide. The man, aged in his forties was taken by helicopter to hospital in Briançon with head injuries. The avalanche risk was considerable (3/5) above 2200-2500 meters over the weekend with the principal risk limited to slabs on steep, shaded slopes. There have been five fatalities involving ski tourers the Hautes-Alpes since the start of the winter

Posted by davidof on Monday, 19 February, 2007 at 08:38 AM