Two skiers have been caught by an avalanche in the Hohneck couloirs in the Vosges at around 13h today. One of the skiers, who remained on the surface of the slide and was equipped with an airbag, was able to contact the rescue services. A joint rescue operation of fire brigade (GRIMP) and police mountain rescue specialists (PGM) aided by two teams of dog handlers started the search for the skiers. They were able to locate the victim that raised the alert. He had suffered severe head injuries after colliding with a tree. In a complicated operation lasting over an hour he was evacuated on a stretcher than by helicopter to hospital. The rescue operation stopped at nightfall due to the risk of secondary avalanche and the difficult weather conditions. The avalanche dog teams and helicopter were unable to access the slide on Sunday afternoon due to the poor weather conditions. The operation resumed on Monday morning and located the body of the second victim, he was not equipped with an avalanche beacon.
Hohneck couloirs (photo: PGM Hohrod)
An avalanche alert had been issued for the mountain range on Friday by the weather service and the prefecture who advised great care was necessary if venturing into the mountains. There is 130 to 150 cm of snow and a number of roads are impassible in the region. A favourite with local steep skiers, the Hohneck couloirs have claimed a number of lives over the years. Avalanche control work in the Gaschney sector had given positive results before the weekend.