Seven skiers were swept away this Monday noon by a snowslide at the Larche pass in the Ubaye Valley (Alpes de Haute-Provence). One person has died and two skiers are in shock.
The avalanche occurred at midday at the Col de Larche, in the Parpaillon sector at an altitude of 2,500 m in the town of Val d’Oronaye (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), indicate the gendarmes confirming information from the local Hauteprovenceinfo site.
“A skier in her 50s died in the snowslide that killed seven people. Two skiers are in shock and four people are unharmed“, specify the gendarmes
For now, neither the identity nor the origin of the victims is known.
Significant resources were mobilized to search for the victims. Men from the PGHM of Jausiers, Briançon and the Alpes-Maritimes are on site with the Mountain Group of the gendarmerie and a canine team, with a doctor, has been hired. An investigation is opened by the Digne prosecutor’s office.
According to Météo France, the avalanche risk is “marked” this Monday above 1,800 m, estimated at 3 on a scale of 5, in the Ubaye massif.