Two skiers killed in Tignes avalanche

7th March 2013, by Abi Butcher

The skiers were in the wooded area of Bois de la Laye when the avalanche began around 11.30am

Two skiers have been killed in an avalanche near Tignes in the French Alps. The pair, a guide and his client, were skiing off-piste in the wooded area of Bois de la Laye when the avalanche was set off at around 11.30am.

The avalanche was reported to have been triggered at 2,100m, and the two skiers were carried more than 300m by the 80-100m wide slide. Arnaud Trinquier, director of piste control in Tignes said it was most likely the avalanche had been triggered by the skiers themselves. The warning level yesterday was 3 – considerable.

Although the alarm was raised quickly, rescuers only realised skiers were buried under the snow when two avalanche bags were discovered at the foot of the slide.

The identities and nationalities of the skiers have not yet been released.

On Tuesday, four climbers were killed in an avalanche in the Hautes-Alpes.

• snow
• tignes
• avalanche

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