Mom and Son Killed by Avalanche While Skiing Together
Other members of the same family reportedly survived the incident.
Denis Balibouse/Reuters
A British mother and her son died after being hit by an avalanche while skiing in the Alps in France, a local prosecutor said Friday.
The woman, 54, and her 22-year-old child have not been named. They were skiing off-piste with other family members and a guide on Thursday when they were buried under the avalanche at around 3:30 p.m., according to the BBC.
Local media reports suggested that the two deceased hadn’t worn devices used to help find avalanche survivors. The guide—who had reportedly known the family for years—was wearing an avalanche beacon and survived the incident.
Bonneville Prosecutor Karline Bouisset said in a statement that the U.K. nationals were eventually located “buried and deceased” after a team of 20 first responders and two helicopters spent five hours searching.
The deadly snowslide started near the Saint-Gervais resort at an altitude of around 7,500 feet, local authorities said, adding that it might have been triggered by other skiers higher up the slopes.
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