There has been another fatal crevasse fall on the popular Vallée Blanche route which leads down from the 3800 meter Aiguille du Midi to Chamonix. 80,000 skiers and snowboarders descend the “VB” between December and April.
Crevasse rescue on Vallee Blanche - courtesy of Firechick
A 29 year old snowboarder fell 15 meters after a snow bridge gave way. According to witness statements taken by the PGHM (High Mountain Police) in Chamonix the boarder was slightly off the track being followed by the rest of his group when he broke through snow covering a crevasse. No-one else in the group had crossed at this point. The man was accompanied by a guide. The accident occurred at 2800 meters above the Requin refuge. The victim was a Russian national.
A British snowboarder died after falling into a crevasse on the 2nd of March, 2008 at the Salle a Manger area. On the 13th March a French national was killed by a crevasse fall at 3400 meters.
The photo I took is actually not of the Russian at all ... I have confirmed it was a crevasse rescue training exercise taking place around the same time. The Russian is said to have died higher up, closer to the refuge du Requin.