Skiers Buried in Avalanche in Verbier
Three British skiers caught in slide - one injured
Last week's record snowfall in Verbier inevitably came with a significantly increased avalanche risk and three British skiers were caught in a slide in the Col des Mines area on Sunday morning - none of the party were wearing transceivers.
Two men in their 20's were caught in the avalanche, while their female companion escaped the slide. One was taken to hospital in Sion suffering from hypothermia while the other was fortunately unharmed. All three of the skiers were extremely lucky to be alive as the avalanche was reported to have been 600m long, 200m wide and 1m deep.
Presently it is unclear whether the area had been closed but the Col des Mines is notoriously avalanche prone. Following the heavy snowfall across the Alps, the avalanche danger across the area currently stands at around 4 out of 5. Skiers have been warned to take great care when travelling off piste and strongly advised to stay at low altitudes, stick to controlled areas and to strictly follow any safety procedures.
If you are heading off piste, make sure you check you have the necessary avalanche safety equipment, knowledge of how to use to it, and be sure to check the local avalanche bulletin.
