Industry News
A 24-year-old skier died Monday morning, December 29, after a violent off-piste fall in the Mont-Vallon sector of Méribel-Mottaret, France. According to PGHM Savoie, ski patrol was alerted at approximately 11:30 a.m. to a skier in cardiac arrest in the high-alpine area. The man had been skiing off-piste when he reportedly collided with a rock outcrop, suffering critical injuries.
Rescue teams reached the site of the accident quickly and immediately began resuscitation efforts, before requesting the assistance of a medical helicopter. Despite the arrival of CRS Alpes mountain rescue specialists and advanced medical care on site, the skier could not be revived. A doctor officially pronounced the man dead at around 12:20 p.m. Authorities confirmed the victim was 24 years old. His identity has not been released.
An investigation has been opened to determine the exact circumstances of the accident.
Monday’s tragedy occurred on December 29, the same date that Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher suffered a life-altering head injury while skiing off-piste in Méribel in 2013–exactly 12 years ago. Schumacher struck a rock between marked runs in the resort, and has been unable to communicate or walk since.
The fatality is the fourth skier death in France’s Savoie region in less than a week, marking a deadly end to the year in the French Alps. On Friday, two skiers were killed in separate avalanche accidents while skiing off-piste in Valloire and La Plagne. On Saturday, December 27, a 19-year-old skier died following an accident at Les Karellis in the Maurienne Valley.
Mountain rescue teams and resort managements across the Alps continue to urge caution, particularly for off-piste skiing, as snow cover can be sparse in many regions. Skiers and snowboarders have been injured when coming off groomed runs when striking exposed hazards such as rocks or hard-packed ice. CRS Alpes urges guests to:
- Slow down in the beginner zones, near the lifts and down the lanes.
- Anticipate your trajectories: downhill skiers don’t always see you.
- Do not stop in the dangerous areas and remain visible.
- Respect resort markings and follow the advice of the first responders.
Important note is that the skier wasn’t skiing off-piste; he fell into an unmarked abyss while skiing on a marked piste. These hidden dangers need obvious protections like fences, barriers or other types of visible signs which many resorts inexplicably skip. If French ski resorts simply fenced off such hazards, we’d see far fewer tragedies like this.
Working in ski patrol rescue here in France is an on going battle trying to impart the safety information to those on the mountain. We wish that all those embarking on the slopes, on and off piste to respect the advice and signage put in place. Taking just a couple of seconds to reflect on the descent you’re about to take can help reduce injury and save lives.