Three people have been killed in an avalanche in the French Alps, authorities confirmed on Friday. Two British nationals who were skiing off-piste with an instructor and a French national skiing alone died when the avalanche struck the Manchet valley near Val d’Isère at approximately 11:30 local time.
The British victims were part of a group of five people skiing with a qualified instructor when the snow slide occurred. Another British member of the group sustained minor injuries, according to Albertville prosecutor Benoit Bachelet.
Investigation launched
Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation into the incident. The inquiry will be conducted by CRS Alpes mountain rescue police.
The ski instructor, who was unharmed in the avalanche, tested negative for alcohol and drugs, Bachelet confirmed in a statement.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said officials are aware of the deaths and are in contact with local authorities to provide consular assistance to the families.
Dangerous conditions
The incident occurred one day after Storm Nils deposited between 60cm and 100cm of fresh snow across the region. France’s national weather service had issued a red alert for avalanche risk in the Savoie region on Thursday, which was downgraded on Friday, though risk levels remained high.
Antoine Martignon, who was in the valley with his wife at the time, captured the avalanche on video. “I was watching people free riding and skiing off-piste, and thought it looks very dangerous,” he said. “In 20 seconds there was an avalanche, it went down and took people below.”
The deaths mark the latest in a series of fatal avalanches in the region this winter.
Luc Nicolino, slopes manager at La Plagne, described conditions as particularly unstable this season. “We have had some very complicated, very unstable snow since the beginning of the season,” he told AFP. “It’s a kind of mille-feuille with many hidden, fragile layers.”
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Photo: Screenshot taken from Antoine Martignon’s video of the avalanche, published on Franceinfo