In a tragic turn of events on Wednesday, five skiers lost their lives due to two avalanches in the French Alps. The incidents occurred in Val-Cenis, where four Norwegian skiers succumbed to the first slide, and a Swiss skier met her fate further north in the Haute-Savoie region, close to Chamonix. Local officials confirmed that three of the Norwegian victims died instantly, while a fourth, a woman, later perished in a nearby hospital after suffering from severe hypothermia and cardiac arrest. These skiers were part of a larger group of seven, with three others remaining unharmed; all were equipped with avalanche beacons while skiing off-piste, an area known to be significantly more hazardous. Val-Cenis Mayor Jacques Arnoux commented on the avalanche's substantial size, noting that it was triggered outside designated ski zones. A team of ten mountain rescue specialists was deployed in the emergency response effort.
The Swiss victim, a 30-year-old woman, had been skiing with her brother and father in the Mont Blanc massif when the avalanche struck. Her brother was treated in a hospital, while their father remained uninjured. This incident follows another tragic death earlier in the week, where a 55-year-old Brazilian-Portuguese skier lost their life in a "very large" avalanche while skiing off-piste on Mont Blanc.
The recent tragedies highlight the perils associated with off-piste skiing, reigniting discussions on safety measures and community awareness.
