Two Britons among three dead in French Alps avalanche

An avalanche in the French Alps on Friday resulted in the deaths of three individuals: two British citizens and one French national. The incident occurred near Val d’Isère, specifically in the Manchet valley. According to a resort spokeswoman, the two British casualties were among a group of five people who were skiing off-piste under the guidance of an instructor.

The French individual who died was skiing alone at the time the avalanche struck, which was at approximately 11:30 local time (10:30 GMT), as confirmed by Albertville prosecutor Benoit Bachelet. In addition to the three fatalities, another British person involved in the incident sustained minor injuries.

The Foreign Office has acknowledged the deaths of the two British men and stated they are maintaining contact with local authorities while remaining prepared to provide consular assistance. Meanwhile, a manslaughter investigation has been opened by the Albertville public prosecutor’s office, with CRS Alpes mountain rescue police assigned to carry out the inquiry. The ski instructor accompanying the British group was unharmed and tested negative for alcohol and drugs, according to prosecutor Bachelet.

This tragedy follows a period of heightened avalanche activity in the area, including a fatal incident last month near the resort of Tignes. Prior to the avalanche, France’s national weather service issued a red alert for avalanche risk across the Savoie region on Thursday, which was lifted the next day, though high risk remained in the Alps due to “very unstable snow cover.” The avalanche came shortly after Storm Nils swept through France, depositing between 60cm and 100cm of snow. Luc Nicolino, the slopes manager at La Plagne, described the snow conditions as “a kind of mille-feuille with many hidden, fragile layers,” highlighting the complexities and dangers of the snowpack this season

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