Three skiers died Friday in an avalanche in the off-piste area of the Val d’Isère ski resort in the French Alps, authorities confirmed. The avalanche struck despite a high avalanche risk warning in the region, triggered by recent heavy snowfall from the passage of Storm Nils.
According to a statement released by the Val d’Isère resort, six skiers were caught in the avalanche. Four were accompanied by a professional guide. Rescue services responded quickly, but three victims could not be revived. All were equipped with avalanche safety equipment, including transceivers.
Two of the deceased were British nationals, part of a group of four skiers guided by a professional, according to reports. The third fatality was a French skier. An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Météo-France, the French meteorological agency, reported that Storm Nils deposited significant amounts of snow – between 60 and 100 centimeters – across the French Alps, particularly in the Mont Blanc massif. The avalanche risk level remains “strong” (4 out of 5) across most of the Alpine range.
The incident occurred as several Alpine ski resorts had either fully or partially closed their slopes on Thursday due to the elevated risk. Météo-France issued a rare red alert for avalanches in the Savoie region, a level only reached twice in the past 25 years.
The Val d’Isère resort warned skiers to remain within marked and secured areas, emphasizing the instability of the snowpack, particularly at altitudes above 1,800-2,000 meters. The resort confirmed that the risk of avalanches remains very high.
