A 49 year old local man has been killed by an avalanche in the Vosges mountains in France yesterday.

The body of a missing skier was recovered yesterday morning close to Abondance in the Haute-Savoie. The skier had been reported missing on the 24th.

Five ski tourers have discovered the body of a lone skier under the brèche Robert sud not far from the ski pistes of Chamrousse around 10h00 today.

A ski tourer has been killed by an avalanche yesterday on the Pique Poque in the Hautes-Pyrénées near the ski resort of Piau-Engaly. The incident occured in the afternoon at 1600 meters altitude.

Jean Blanc, a ski instructor from Bonneval in the Maurienne, was killed by an avalanche on Thursday morning.

The Savoie rescue services have appealed for prudence after a 22 year old ski tourer was killed near the col des Fours at Val d'Isere yesterday.

A 49 year old skier has been found dead yesterday afternoon near the col de Rombières in the Cantal, part of the French Massif Central mountain range.

A ski tourer has been killed by a large avalanche under the summit of the Combe Bénite opposite the ski resort of La Plagne yesterday (15/12).

Three ski tourers have been killed in two separate incidents in the Chartreuse on Saturday.

The local authorities and mountain rescue in the Hautes Pyrénées department have asked back-country travellers to be careful if they venture into the mountains.