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Avalanche control
A private helicopter, carrying three people involved with piste
security in the Argentiere sector of the Chamonix-Mont Blanc ski
domain setting off controlled avalanches, struck a ski-lift cable
and crashed near Chamonix in the French Alps yesterday, killing
two people.
The pilot and an avalanche control expert died Wednesday when the
Ecureuil B3 helicopter hit the cable. Witnesses said the cable flexed
like a catapult and flung the helicopter against the mountain-side.
The accident occured at 2,600m and the visibility was said to be
good. The helicopter had just made a U-turn to check on why an explosive
charge had not detonated. A third man in the helicopter was seriously
injured.
Chamonix hospital questioned
Daniel Pujol, the pilot was killed by the crash and Gérard Croz,
a member piste patrol was dead on arrival at Sallanches hospital.
There has recently been controversy over the partial closure of
Chamonix hospital with claims that the longer journey to Sallanches
puts lives at risk. The operation to rescue the third man was started
by members of the piste patrol using cutting equipment and took
most of the morning. He is said to be out of immediate danger.
Investigators from the Air Police (gendarmerie des transports aériens)
based at Lyon airport were on the scene. The cable car and pistes
were shut at the time of the accident. The helicopter was involved
in avalanche clearance operations prior to opening the area to the
public. Seven off-track skiers and snowboarders have died, including
one Briton, in a series of small avalanches in the French Alps in
recent weeks. All the accidents were caused by skiers and snow-boarders
ignoring official warnings and abandoning the approved slopes to
find fresh snow. Please, please check the official conditions before
heading off, and let someone know where you are headed. It is always
best to stay away from the off-piste when conditions are so dangerous,
the warnings are, after all, in your gest interest...
Conditions extremely dangerous
The French met office yesterday extended its avalanche warning to
level 5 - the highest possible - to almost all of the northern and
central French Alps. Although this level is reached once or twice
in every ski season, experts said the conditions this year were
more threatening than at any time since 1999 when 12 people were
killed in their chalets by an avalanche near Chamonix.
Over one and a half metres - about 60 inches - of snow have fallen
in some areas in the past week. This has been followed by warmer
weather, rain and high winds, compounding the avalanche danger.
Officials at Météo-France said that there was "a high risk" of avalanches
at above 2,500 metres (8,000 feet) and "some risk" at lower altitudes,
as the rain softened the recently fallen snow.
[Source: Independent, Pistehors]
 Latest
news - 18/01/04
It's been snowing for several days now on and off - as the natives
balcony cam shows - unfortunately high winds have kept a lot of
the lifts shut. With the combined avalanche and helicopter crash
Grand Montets may well be closed for a while yet, but hopefully
most of the other mountains will be letting loose tomorrow with
a promised drop in wind and 60% sunshine. With any luck I'll remember
where I put my skis.
[Jon Trigell - Natives Overseas Manager]
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