Six children among sixteen Brits injured in French Alps ski resort crash

21 February 2023, 11:49

Sixteen British holidaymakers - including six children - have been injured in a car crash in the French alps.

Two adults are in serious condition after a minibus and a 4x4 car collided almost head on near the town of Albertville, in the Savoie region of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes area of Southeastern France.

30 firefighters and two helicopters were sent to the scene on Sunday, the final day of the February half-term and peak season in the French alps. The injured were airlifted and taken by road to hospitals in Chambéry, Albertville and Grenoble.

The 4x4 was reportedly carrying a family of five, including two children, from Geneva airport to Peisey-Vallandry in the Paradiski region which links the two major resorts of Les Arcs with La Plagne.

The minibus was taking 11 people, including four children, from the Courchevel ski resort to Geneva airport and was reportedly being driven by a Brit living in the French Alps.

The cause of the crash is still unknown but a spokesman for the local police said one of the vehicles had "left its side of the road" but added that it was still unclear which vehicle.

Tests showed that neither driver had consumed drugs or alcohol.

Sunday was categorised as a level ‘black’ day by road authorities, one of the busiest days of the year on the roads in the French alps. The World Ski Championships taking place in Courchevel and Méribel also contributed to an unusually large build-up of traffic on the roads.

It comes after a British man died following a fall after skiing off-piste in the French alps.

READ MORE: British skier dies after plunging 'several dozen metres' off a cliff while going off-piste

READ MORE: French unions target half-term holidays as they announce 'unlimited' strikes at ski resorts