There has been a large avalanche on the north face of the Dôme des Ecrins in the Hautes-Alpes at 3900 meters altitude. 15 mountaineers were involved in the slide which occurred on Sunday morning around 9h20. Two avalanche dogs and their handlers were dispatched to the scene by helicopter along with rescue workers and a doctor. 4 people were evacuated to hospital in Briançon. The avalanche was around 150 meters wide. Local authorities have called for care as conditions are still winter with snowfall and high winds at altitude.
There is no avalanche bulletin during the summer months.
The prefecture issued the following statement
Avalanche at Dôme des Écrins Gap, 16/06/2024
At 9.20am on 16 June 2024, a major avalanche occurred in the commune of Vallouise-Pelvoux, on the normal access route to the Dôme des Ecrins, at an altitude of 3900 metres.
An operational team commanded by the Briançon PGHM was deployed under the direction of the Hautes-Alpes prefecture.
7 PGHM personnel, including 2 avalanche dog handlers, Choucas 05 with 2 crew members and an emergency doctor from Briançon were involved in the search and rescue operations.
Operations ended at 11:45am. A total of 4 victims (relative emergencies) were evacuated to Briançon hospital, and around fifteen people from different groups and nationalities were involved.
It is likely to have been a slab avalanche starting near the rimaye. The break is around 150 m wide. The 200 m long deposit split into two parts, each 50 to 60 metres wide.
An investigation to determine the precise circumstances of the accident has been entrusted to the Briançon PGHM, under the authority of the Gap public prosecutor.
The Prefect of the Hautes-Alpes is urging skiers and snowboarders to exercise caution, particularly in the days following windy snowfalls at high altitude.