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Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland

Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland

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Started by Bandit in Avalanche Safety - 11 Replies

J2Ski

Bandit posted Dec-2011

Just seen this News from local Valais Newspaper today.

http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/fr/valais/saas-fee-un-enfant-de-6-ans-grievement-blesse-dans-une-avalanche-sur-les-pistes-490-212039

Google Translation=

A child has been carried away by a snow slide on the slopes in Saas Fee. The snow conditions in the mountains are potentially dangerous.

A 6 year old was seriously injured in an avalanche on the ski slopes in Saas-Fee in the late morning. It was with a ski instructor when an avalanche took them on the track 4 of the ski area Felskinn / Egginer. The dimensions of the casting were 300 meters long and 100 meters wide. The instructor was cleared after a few minutes by the security service lifts. It was partially covered with snow. Workers discovered the child by probing the avalanche, 45 minutes after the start.

The child of Spanish nationality was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Visp, then helicopter to University Hospital in Lausanne in critical condition. The avalanche, according to initial findings, erupted spontaneously, without influence of others.

The operation was made ??difficult because of the weather. For this reason, the helicopters could not be committed.

For his part, Robert Bolognesi calls for caution in a weather report. He stressed that "the current conditions in the mountains are potentially dangerous for skiers, hikers and snowshoe enthusiasts." Although snow is not important, it should be exercised in the mountains because the wind has trained numerous accumulations of snow. These accumulations may be unstable, especially in the little sunny slopes located at high altitude. As cohesion is low, it does not provide a good basis for the recent snow.

Edited 2 times. Last update at 08-Dec-2011

OldAndy
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

A tragic accident by the sound of it but a timely reminder of how unpredictable the mountains can be.
With an instructor on a piste suitable for a 6 yo - who of us would have worried about avalanche risk in those conditions?
The snow that has fallen in such high quantities recently is going to be very unstable for a while, I hope we don't hear many more of these stories.
www  Snow dance !!! my snow dance on youtube

Dave Mac
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

It's a fair bet we will see a number of these situations. It is the worst combination to have heavy snow onto not-too-cold ground, and then for the ground temperature to vary.

Bandit
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

Now have an update, very bad news, the Spanish boy died in Lausanne Hospital. Local newspaper says this is the 1st Avalanche of the season, and the 1st death. The Public Prosecutor for Upper Valais, has opened an investigation.

http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/fr/valais/sion/avalanche-a-saas-fee-le-jeune-garcon-est-decede-497-212263

Ian Wickham
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

MMMmmmmmm :cry: :cry:

Boo_yay
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

Not good - i feel for the family and that poor instructor :( :( Not good!
See you on the piste!!!

Offshore
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

tbh, i thought on piste something like that would not happen! very sad!

Ian Wickham
reply to 'Avalanche Risk-New Snowfall 1st Death of Season in Switzerland'
posted Dec-2011

offshore wrote:tbh, i thought on piste something like that would not happen! very sad!


I remember a few years ago of a reported Avalanche on a green piste in Courmayeur, so be careful after a dump.

Topic last updated on 21-December-2011 at 13:05