Fatal avalanche at Chamonix

A skier has been killed after been carried over cliffs by a small avalanche yesterday. The accident occured in the Brevent sector around noon at 2100 meters altitude. The 27 year old man, a resident of Chamonix, was killed by the 30 meter fall.

The risk was given as 2 (Moderate) at the time above 1800 meters with the zero degre isotherm rising to 1800 meters during the day. The avalanche bulletin warned of small slabs which could prove serious given terrain traps and of snow sluffing during the course of the day on sunny aspects and steep slopes.

Posted by davidof on Tuesday, 27 March, 2007 at 08:38 AM

Hi,

A few corrections.

The man who was killed was a 27 year old mountain guide and moniteur du ski named Benoit Jacquemot. He had been teaching a course in avalanche safety called Eurosecurite to stagieres who were becoming ski instructors. The area he was killed is called the hotel face of the Brevent ski area (not Grandes Montets). The Dauphine said he fell 80m. He worked as a trainer for ENSA since 2003. It appears he was pushed over a cliff band by a small avalanche though the PGHM did not know completely the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Posted by  on  Tuesday, 27 March, 2007  at 10:06 PM

Thanks for that,

I’m sorry for the mistakes - I’ve corrected the original story. The email I got last night from an eyewitness in fact said Brevent but got lost in translation.

jacquem.jpg

Benoit Jacquemot was a very experienced ice-climbing specialist. Resident of Aussois in the Maurienne valley.

Posted by davidof on  Tuesday, 27 March, 2007  at 11:15 PM

> the PGHM did not know completely the circumstances surrounding the accident

This is also good point to make. The eye witness report I got said a snowslide but it is not yet established whether this was the cause of the accident or a secondary result. It is maybe not important for Mr Jacquemot and his friends and family but is significant for the overall accident statistics as fatal avalanches at risk 2 only make up a very small percentage of incidents in France.

Posted by davidof on  Wednesday, 28 March, 2007  at 02:10 PM

Me and my sister saw the whole thing from the lift. It was horrible, but i thought i’d add he fell at least 100-150 feet. It also looked like he landed on rocks before the avalanche hit him, but that was almost instantly. We heard the avalance setting off before he was in the air over the cliff, the avalanche probably pushed him over.

Posted by  on  Saturday, 31 March, 2007  at 01:53 AM

God bless his soul he was a hero poet like all those who love the outdoors and are mountaineers !

Posted by shamus on  Saturday, 31 March, 2007  at 08:29 PM
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