The last few days have seen a number of serious accidents in the Hautes-Alpes department including in a freak avalanche death close to the col du Galibier that links the Savoie and Hautes-Alpes departments.
On Sunday a 50 year old ski tourist fell in the col d’Arsine sector in the late morning. She was airlifted to hospital by a helicopter belonging to the PGHM (Mountain Police) in Briançon where she was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder.
A group of Dutch tourists were avalanched below the col du Galibier on Monday. They had climbed up a section of closed road, crossing a barrier, to take photographs. A team from the highways department clearing the road above them triggered an avalanche which buried a female member of the group. Rescue workers from the CRS (Civil Security) in Briançon and the PGHM (Mountain Police) in Modane were rapidly on the scene and found the woman in a serious condition. She succumbed to her injuries while being heliported to hospital by the PGHM.
A man had a lucky escape today when he fell in the couloir Davin in the early afternoon. The ski alpinist was on a very steep slope when he slid over 300 meters. He managed to descend to the base of the couloir where he was recovered by a helicopter team from the CRS in Briançon. He was diagnosed with multiple injuries.