Mont Blanc: one dead in an avalanche in an off-piste area near Chamonix

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: LANSARD GILLES / HEMIS.FR / HEMIS.FR / HEMIS VIA AFP 7:45 p.m., January 20, 2024

One person died and another was slightly injured following an avalanche which was triggered on Saturday in an off-piste area near Chamonix in the Mont-Blanc massif, the Haute-Savoie prefecture said.

The slide, around thirty meters wide, occurred at 1:40 p.m. at a place called "Les Grossailles" in the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ski area in the Tour sector, "involving 4 people", according to a communicated.

Following the avalanche in the off-piste area today, @Prefet74 sends his sincere condolences to the victim's loved ones, as well as his thoughts to those involved.

He also thanks all the staff who made it possible to carry out the search operations.

pic.twitter.com/EzBVh92MOY

— Prefect of Haute-Savoie (@Prefet74) January 20, 2024

A device made up of 11 rescuers accompanied by avalanche dogs supported by two helicopters was quickly mobilized, indicates the prefecture.

Avalanche risk still “marked” on Sunday

“The final report shows a deceased victim, a slightly injured person and two other people unharmed. An investigation into the exact circumstances of this tragedy is now open on the instructions of the Public Prosecutor at the Bonneville Judicial Court,” specifies she said.

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The risk of avalanche should remain "significant" on Sunday (level 3/5) at altitude on the Aravis, Chablais and Mont-Blanc massifs, underlines the prefecture, calling on mountain practitioners to exercise caution and to equip with suitable equipment (helmet, shovel, probe, avalanche victim detector, charged means of communication, etc.).