Grenoble mountain rescue unit says man was one of three who got into trouble in Alpe d’Huez resort

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A British skier has died in the French Alps, authorities have confirmed.



A spokesman at the mountain rescue unit in Grenoble said three skiers had got into trouble after venturing off-piste in the Alpe d’Huez ski resort region of the central French western Alps on Saturday morning.

The three went the wrong way, encountered difficulty in the conditions and took off their skis to attempt to climb upwards, a mountain rescue spokesman, Francois Bepol, said.

However, it was “very steep and icy” and two of the three men fell from what he described as a cliff. A British man was found dead following the fall, he confirmed.

The second skier who fell was injured, but survived. The third was unharmed. The pair were able to be rescued, Bepol said. He was unable to confirm their ages.

The Foreign Office issued a statement confirming a Briton had died in the mountains. “Following the death of a British national in the French Alps, we are providing consular support to the family,” the statement said.

“We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”