Tragic Avalanche Claims Lives of British Mother and Son in France

A mother and her 22-year-old son from Britain have tragically lost their lives in an avalanche while skiing in France. The incident occurred in Saint-Gervais, near the Swiss border, where the pair were skiing off-piste. It has been reported that they were not wearing any devices that could locate survivors. The avalanche started at an altitude of approximately 2,300 meters and swept down a distance of around 400 meters. There is speculation that the avalanche was initiated by another group of skiers at a higher altitude. After five hours of extensive search efforts by 20 first responders and two helicopters, the victims were discovered buried and deceased. It is worth noting that the guide accompanying the family was equipped with an avalanche beacon, but unfortunately, the family members were not. In a separate incident, a 31-year-old man lost his life after falling down a 500-meter slope in the Écrins Massif. This unfortunate event follows another avalanche incident in April, where six individuals were killed near Mont Blanc. France witnesses around 110 avalanche incidents each year, resulting in approximately 30 fatalities.