Rescue services recover off piste skier trapped under ice

In what must be one of the most complicated and dangerous winter rescue operations the CRS unit based in Courchevel have rescued an off piste skier trapped in a freezing river. The victim, a 20 year old woman and her two friends were skiing off piste at St Sorlin d’Arves in the Maurienne.

The woman broke through snow bridging a stream and was carried 15 meters down the Ruisseau de Vallon before getting blocked under snow and ice in freezing melt-water. Her friends were powerless to help and immediately alerted the rescue services. A single rescuer had to be lowered through a narrow gap under the snow submerged in freezing water.

The victim was recovered after 40 minutes. Suffering from a severe hypothermia but without other injuries, her body was at 24 degrees. She was taken to a specialist unit at Grenoble hospital. The rescue worker also suffered from hypothermia.