5 days ago
British climber is killed after 'falling from his rope' on glacier during descent from 12,500ft mountain in French Alps
A British climber has died after falling from a glacier during a descent from a 12,500ft mountain in the French Alps.
The mountaineer, who has not been named, was reportedly coming down the Grands Couloirs glacier when he fell at around 11am on Sunday.
The man, in his sixties, reportedly 'fell from his rope' during the descent, above the town of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, in Savoie.
Initial reports said that the victim had been joined by a climbing companion, also English, on their hike.
The two had not been attached by climbing ropes before the fall, France3 reports.
Emergency services were called, battling against the piercing wind to reach the scene within minutes.
The victim was already dead when they arrived, local media reports.
Mountain rescue services are investigating to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
The pair had taken a 'normal route' in the Vanoise massif to come down the mountain on Sunday, according to the prosecutor's office.
A helicopter and teams of firefighters were dispatched to the scene.
Weather conditions on the mountain were 'very difficult' due to strong winds, Le Dauphine reports.
In April, a 27-year-old British man was killed in an avalanche in the Savoie prefecture.
The victim was found buried under the snow at the entrance to a ski resort.
He was taken to Grenoble Hospital and later pronounced dead.
As many as four landslides were reported in Les Menuires and Val Thorens in quick succession, Ludovic Trautmann, director of the Savoie prefecture, said in a statement.
In February, a British skier was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in the French Alps after reportedly falling from a height while returning from an après ski party.
The 23-year-old was found in the popular resort above the town of Morzine, France.
It is believed that he had been skiing with friends before attending a party in Avoriaz, and then became lost when trying to ski down the mountain alone.
Friends reported his disappearance when he did not return home, prompting a desperate search by rescue teams.
Last year, another British skier died in an accident after hitting a tree at the Avoriaz resort.
French media reports at the time suggested that the man left the Covagnes piste after swerving to avoid hitting a group of skiers blocking the way.
But a fellow British skier who witnessed the accident claimed the icy conditions on the route had caused the victim to lose control even before the accident occurred.
The 68-year-old was found unresponsive by rescuers on March 26, and despite their best efforts could not be resuscitated.
