A 39-year-old man was found injured but alive on Monday, November 9, roughly 24 hours after being swept away by an avalanche and falling into a crevasse in the Mont-Cenis massif of the Savoie region, according to the CRS Alpes mountain rescue service.
The skier had set out on Saturday for a backcountry ski tour in the Mont-Cenis massif. After spending the night in a mountain refuge, he was caught by an avalanche on Sunday morning in the Vallon d’Ambin area before plunging into a crevasse. Despite fracturing both legs, he managed to find shelter in an air pocket beneath the snow.
Rescue Teams Guided by the Sound of His Voice
Relatives raised the alarm on Sunday, prompting a CRS Alpes team from Modane to launch a search, but they were unable to locate him. Operations resumed on Monday. After five hours of probing and digging in the area, rescuers finally reached the skier, guided by the sound of his voice.
The man was not carrying an avalanche transceiver, or DVA, a device that emits a signal to help rescuers locate buried victims. He was airlifted to the Grenoble University Hospital, suffering from hypothermia in addition to multiple fractures to both legs.
Rescuers Urge Caution as Snow Returns
With snow returning to higher elevations, rescue officials are urging skiers and hikers to exercise the utmost caution and are reminding them of the importance of carrying an avalanche transceiver.
- The skier was caught Sunday morning in the Vallon d’Ambin sector.
- He survived in an air pocket despite fractures to both legs.
- He was located after five hours of searching on Monday, guided by his voice.
- He was not equipped with an avalanche transceiver.
- He was airlifted to Grenoble University Hospital with hypothermia and leg fractures.
