British skier dies after falling ‘dozens of metres’ while off-piste in France
Rescue workers were said to be shocked by man’s injuries and have been given counselling
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A British man has died after a high-speed accident while skiing off-piste in the French Alps.
The 50-year-old man, who has not yet been named, suffered severe injuries and a cardiac arrest following the incident in the alpine resort of Meribel.
He died after falling several dozen meters in the Saulire sector of the three valleys ski area in Meribel, where the Ski World Championships are taking place.
It was unclear if he was there to watch the games, which run in Meribel and Courchevel until 19 February.
A worker who said they witnessed the incident said the man “took off” into the air before landing and sliding down a steep slope covered in rocks.
Mountain rescuers and a helicopter were dispatched to deal with accident and arrived within 15 minutes but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The rescue workers were said to have been shocked at the extent of the man’s injuries and were receiving counselling.
Separately, a 21-year-old American died while skiing off-piste in the Brevant area of Chamonix after falling 200m.
A total of 12 people died in the French mountains during the 2021-22 ski season, according to the French National Mountain Safety Observation System.
More than 45,000 people were treated for injuries while emergency services attended around 50,000 incidents.
Last month a British woman was killed following an avalanche in the alps.
The woman, who was reported to be 45-years-old, was airlifted off Mont Blanc’s Argentiere Glacier by mountain rescuers but died of her injuries.
Colonel Bertrand Host, of the mountain rescue gendarmerie in Chamonix, said around 80 people die on the Mont Blanc massif each year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments