Val Thorens, France – A 27-year-old British man has died after being swept up in an avalanche at the Val Thorens ski resort in the French Alps, as heavy snowfall continues to wreak havoc across the Alpine region.
The fatal incident occurred on Thursday morning near a roadside in the popular resort located in the Savoie region of southeastern France. According to the local prosecutor, the man was carried approximately 15 metres (50 feet) by the avalanche, which struck suddenly amid treacherous conditions.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and managed to pull the man from the snow. However, he was already in cardiac arrest by the time rescuers arrived. He was transported to a hospital in Grenoble, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, where he succumbed to his injuries later that evening.
The identity of the deceased has not yet been released, but British authorities have confirmed that his family is being supported by local services in France. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the avalanche has been opened.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.”
The tragedy comes as the Alps are experiencing intense snowfall, which has significantly disrupted daily life and travel across parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy. Authorities have warned of an elevated risk of avalanches following recent storms that dumped heavy snow across the mountain ranges.
In the French resort of Tignes, also in the Savoie department, Mayor Serge Revial issued a public safety directive urging residents and tourists to remain indoors. “There is a high risk of avalanches, and we had to make the decision to protect people,” Revial said.
Elsewhere, the adverse weather has had widespread consequences. In Switzerland, access routes by road and rail into the upscale resort of Zermatt in the southern canton of Valais were cut off. Thousands of tourists and residents were effectively stranded as authorities warned of avalanche danger and advised people to remain inside.
In Italy’s northwest, the Aosta Valley reported power outages in more than half of its 74 municipalities, impacting essential services and communications. Further south in the Piedmont region, a bridge collapse was reported in the province of Biella due to weather-related damage, further highlighting the destructive force of the storm system.
Mountain rescue teams and local governments are urging all visitors and residents in high-risk areas to follow weather advisories closely, avoid off-piste skiing, and respect all safety warnings issued by local authorities.
As the investigation into the British man’s death continues, the tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by sudden avalanches in unstable snow conditions.
Local officials have reiterated calls for caution, warning that conditions in the Alps are expected to remain hazardous over the coming days.
