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ALPS

French soldier killed in wingsuit jump

A 39-year-old French soldier was killed on Saturday while attempting a wingsuit jump in the Alps, the latest casualty in what is regarded as one of the most dangerous extreme sports, a rescue worker said.

Published: 27 December 2015 09:32 CET
French soldier killed in wingsuit jump
Two men jump from the top of the Brevent mountain to fly in wingsuit over the French ski resort of Chamonix on July 16, 2014. Photo: Philippe Desmazes/AFP
The man died after jumping off the 2,525 metre-high (over 8,000-feet) summit of Le Brevent in the French Alps.
   
“When his flying companion reached the ground, he realised something had gone wrong. He probably crashed into” the mountain, a rescue worker said, confirming the soldier's death.
   
His body was later found at an altitude of 2,100 metres. An investigation into the accident has been opened.
   
American daredevil Johnny Strange died in the Swiss Alps in October while also attempting a jump in a wingsuit.
   
The average wingsuit jump lasts barely a minute and within eight seconds, the jumper reaches speeds of 200 kilometres (120 miles) per hour.
 
 

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SKI

Dad’s ‘miracle escape’ after being buried by avalanche in French Alps

A man out walking with his family in the French Alps has made a miraculous escape from an avalanche after spending more than two and a half hours trapped under snow, rescuers said.

Published: 29 January 2021 11:46 CET
Dad's 'miracle escape' after being buried by avalanche in French Alps
Ski lifts in France are closed, but visitors and locals are free to enjoy other outdoor sports. Photo: AFP

The 50-year-old father was snowshoeing near the high-altitude Val d'Isere ski resort with his wife and two children on Thursday without anti-avalanche safety equipment.

“Thank to the mobilisation of nearly 100 people… the man was found alive after two hours and 40 minutes of searching,” the police for the local Savoie département announced on Twitter.

Because of the depth of the snow, rescue dogs were unable to detect a trace, but the man was eventually dug out by a specialised mountain police team which used a Wolfhound device to locate his mobile phone under the ice.

“I think it's a miracle,” Alexandre Grether from the PGHM rescue team told the France 3 local news channel, adding that the man was found 2.5 metres (eight feet) below the surface.

The chances of survival after more than 20 minutes in an avalanche are usually slim.

“He was protected by a tree, that's what prevented him from being crushed by all the ice that slid down. The snow had surrounded him, but he had a pocket of air,” he explained.

The victim is expected to make a full recovery after suffering a fracture to his hip.

The avalanche risk on Thursday was at its maximum – five on a scale of five – and rescuers urge people to always check the snow conditions before venturing out.

READ ALSO 'Whole season a write-off' – what next for France's ski resorts?

Ski lifts in the Alps, which have seen some of their heaviest snowfalls in years in January, are currently closed because of restrictions imposed by the government to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Visitors and locals are free to enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing, but occupancy levels in hotels and chalets are way down and business owners and seasonal staff face serious hardships.

The government has promised an economic support package for the sector.

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