“It seems that the avalanche was unpredictable and imperceptible”, indicates the prosecutor

Karline Bouisset, public prosecutor of Bonneville, confirms Monday, April 10, in the evening, on franceinfo, that the human toll of six victims is now “final” after the avalanche that occurred on Sunday April 9 on the Armancette glacier of the Mont-Blanc massif in Haute-Savoie. The search is now over. “everyone answered the call”she adds.

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Regarding the investigation, it is ongoing. “with the hearings which are carried out by the Chamonix research brigade, both of the guides found unharmed and of their clients”. The prosecutor adds that a “snow expert was dispatched to the scene this morning”. The latter carried out “long observations throughout the day”. From now on, we have to wait for the conclusions but the first observations allow us to say that the avalanche “was unpredictable and imperceptible”.

Several gray areas

For now “no definitive conclusions” on the reasons for this avalanche but “emergent probabilities” according to the prosecutor who explains that according to the expert, “it’s a patch of dry, hard snow that left with powder on the surface, the configuration of this avalanche is very surprising compared to the usual observations”. The avalanche started from “very high: 3,500 meters” but it is not due to heat: “We are looking for the cause because the snowpack has been assessed at -10 degrees, -12 degrees with a temperature at 3,500 meters of -4 degrees with a western slope so no cause related to the weather”confirms Karline Bouisset.

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Still according to the prosecutor, there are still several gray areas: “Conditions were good”she recalls before adding: “We have not yet succeeded in locating the people on the avalanche very precisely, nor in understanding the trigger. This is the role of the hearings currently being carried out.”

Three groups “accompanied by guides”

Regarding the conduct of the research, the prosecutor details: “First we search for the missing, that was the case all day yesterday. We found the sixth body on Monday morning. Then there is a search for the causes of death to assess the precise reasons why the people disappeared in this avalanche, how the avalanche could have been triggered in order – if necessary – to shift responsibilities”.

“For the moment, it does not take shape the track of possible responsibility.”

Karline Bouisset, public prosecutor of Bonneville

on franceinfo

Finally, concerning the people present at the accident site, Karline Bouisset explains that it “There were three groups accompanied by guides: a group consisting of a guide and two people, another group of four clients with two mountain guides and a third group of four clients with two mountain guides. Everyone everyone was perfectly accompanied”she concludes.