Two people were killed after an avalanche broke in the town of Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, in Haute-Savoie, as reported by TF1. A group of skiers, made up of an instructor and five students, were trapped in an avalanche that occurred early in the afternoon, three people in the group were buried by the snow: the ski instructor and two other people, the latter were found dead by emergency teams.
The alert was given at 3:40 p.m. in an off-piste area located near the Mont Joly chairlift. Upon arriving at the scene, the rescue teams from the Saint-Gervais resort and the teams from the Chamonix high mountain gendarmerie managed to rescue the ski instructor, who was reportedly slightly injured. However, despite resuscitation maneuvers, rescue personnel were unable to save the other two victims, who died.
According to the first information communicated by the prefecture of Haute-Savoie, the avalanche could have been caused by the passage of other skiers, a little higher up the piste and in an unauthorized area.
An investigation will be conducted to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy, under the auspices of the Bonneville District Attorney's Office.
