Tragic Avalanche Claims Life of Irish Skier in Swiss Alps

An Irish skier in his 50s seriously injured in an avalanche in the Alps a week ago has died in Switzerland. The man was the latest person to lose his life in a spate of deadly avalanches this month in the Swiss, Austrian and French Alps. Heavy snowfall increases the risk of avalanches. Police in the Swiss canton of Valais said the man died overnight of injuries sustained shortly after noon on Tuesday, January 13th. No information was provided on the man’s identity. “During the night of January 19th/20th, the victim died from his injuries,” a police statement said. “He was an Irish national aged 53.” The man was swept away when an avalanche struck as he and two fellow-skiers were descending the east face of the Six Noir mountain, police said. They were in an area known as Trou de Bougnonne, which lies above Ovronnaz, a resort at the foot of the Muverans mountain range. The man’s companions raised the alarm. He was located in the snow using avalanche transceivers, a kind of emergency beacon worn close to the body which emits a radio signal that can be picked up by other transceivers in the area. The man was pulled from the snow and resuscitated at the scene before he was taken by helicopter to hospital in Sion, the capital of the canton. Information on the case was not available from the Department of Foreign Affairs.