Ski tourer missing in Maritime Alps

A 30 year old ski tourer has been missing since Sunday in the Maritimes Alpes behind Nice. After an extensive search of the Isola area the man’s car was finally located at Auron. An eye witness reported seeing the missing skier climbing with a heavy rucksack. The police and ski patrol of Auron have carried out an extensive search in the Las Donnas and Demandols sectors. 20cm of snow fell over night with temperatures well below freezing.

The missing man had original planned to ski with a work colleague. He is believed to be equipped with an avalanche beacon, which may help the police to locate him. In January last year a police helicopter equipped with a powerful antenna picked up the single from the beacons of two men missing in the Belledonne range. The police have also tried to geolocate his mobile phone, a technique the police previously used to locate an avlanche victim in Avoriaz. Although Police fear the worst after two days in freezing conditions it should be remembered that in February 2003 a group of four young snowboard tourers survived three days in a snow cave built using their boards after losing their way on Mont Rosset in the Savoie.

A ski tourer was caught by an avalanche in a couloir situated in the Vallon de la Crachet below the Col de Vars earlier today. The 36 year old ski instructor from Vars was lucky to have been seen by soldiers on exercise in the area. They were able to locate him thanks to the signal from his avalanche beacon. The skier was found unconscious having been buried for over ten minutes but recovered and was taken to hospital as a precaution.