A 33-year-old man died on Saturday after being swept away by an avalanche in the commune of Cervières, in the Hautes-Alpes region, according to the Gap prosecutor's office. The victim, a resident of Lyon, did not survive despite receiving medical attention: he died in the hospital.
The tragedy occurred on the east face of the Arpelin. Rescue services were alerted around 14:15 p.m., shortly after the avalanche began, according to the Briançon mountain rescue unit (CRS montagne), which was mobilized on site for search and rescue operations.
An investigation has been opened to determine the circumstances
The skier was skiing with another skier, who escaped unharmed: he was reportedly thrown and immobilized against a tree during the avalanche, thus avoiding being buried, explained the prosecutor of Gap, Marion Lozach'meur.
An investigation into the cause of death has been opened and an autopsy is to be performed. The previous day, another similar accident had already claimed the life of a 65-year-old man, also in Cervières, highlighting the persistent dangers of mountain conditions.
