British hiker dies in Mont Blanc avalanche as French Alps experience heavy snowfall
16 January 2023, 09:12 | Updated: 16 January 2023, 09:14
A British woman has died whilst hiking in the French Alps after being caught in an avalanche, according to local rescue services.
The 45-year-old was hiking with her partner in the Chamonix valley in the Mont Blanc massif mountain range on Saturday afternoon when the avalanche occurred.
The hiker was with her partner and a guide when the incident occurred at 5.30pm. The two individuals accompanying her were rescued unharmed.
Rescuers attempted to reach the Argentiere Glacier by helicopter after the woman was found buried beneath snow but were unable to save her.
It comes as unseasonably high temperatures left many low lying ski resorts without snow in recent weeks, with half of resorts in the French Alps closed to skiers.
Those that were open saw an increase in doctors visits following unusually icy conditions caused by melting and refreezing snow.
Despite the emergency services arriving on the scene swiftly, French mountain police said: “The person unfortunately died.”
The avalanche warning level currently stands at three out of five, meaning there is a "considerable" risk of cascading snow flows.
It's also reported a second avalanche struck on Sunday in the Brevent area, also in the Chamonix valley, and is believed to have hit ski runs.
Local ski instructors were drafted in as they attempted to comb the area for skiers.
One eyewitness said: “There was a woman caught up to her hips in the slide. A search was started by skiers and snowboarders. Then the experts took over."
In contrast to last week's lack of snow, the past week has seen widespread snowfall, with Chamonix being put on alert as further predictions suggest the area is set for more than 70cm of snow at 2,000 metres or above in the next 24 hours.
It stands in contrast to the new year, which saw parts of Switzerland experience temperatures as high as 20 degrees.
A safety school in Chamonix known as the Avalanche Academy urged winter sports enthusiasts to remain cautious.
“There’s a huge amount of snow coming to Chamonix this week, which means the avalanche hazard is going to increase dramatically,” it said.
Alongside heavy snowfall, thawing snow is believed to be a major trigger for avalanches.
