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3 perish in Swiss avalanches
Tuesday March 2, 2010 - Email this article to a friend
There have been a number of separate incidents and the authorities are warning people to be extra careful after the recent snowfall. A mountain guide died in one incident while in another an avalanche hit a marked run burying 5 people.
In one incident 2 people were caught while skiing off piste in Bruson, a small resort across the valley from PlanetSKI's base resort of Verbier.
They were in the trees at a relatively low altitude of 1,500m when they were hit by an avalanche and carried 200m.
One person was buried under 80cm of snow and was found by the rescue services who located the victim by the avalanche transceiver the person was wearing.
The 37 year old was taken to hospital in Sion by helicopter where the victim was pronounced dead.
Both people came from the Valais region.
Also in the Valais, a person died in the Töberltälli region.
The person who died was in a party of 3 ski tourers hiking at night under the light of the moon when the group was struck. The person who died, a woman, was at the front of the group and was carried 20m down the mountain side.
Rescue services from Air Zermatt were called out.
In the canton of Graubünden, a mountain guide was swept away by an avalanche. He was testing a slope just near his group when it gave way and he was buried.
The members of the group are safe and it is not thought they were caught in the avalanche.
He is the latest in a high number of professionals who have been killed this season. They include doctors, mountain guides and off piste ski instructors.
We have reported on the incidents and why they may be happening.
The warning scaleIn many areas the risk has been 3 or 4 on a scale of 5.
The recent heavy snow has been accompanied by strong winds and follows a warmer period so the snow has fallen on an unstable layer.
24 people have now died in Switzerland this winter; on average it is half that at this stage of the season.
In another incident 5 people were caught in an avalanche in Champex. 3 were British and 2 were Swiss. All survived.
They were on a marked piste when a spontaneous avalanche hit them. Skiers and snowboarders nearby saw the incident and dug them out.
All three British people went to hospital for precautionary check ups and were certified fine.
An investigation is under way.
Avalanches that hit marked runs are taken very seriously and the police have confirmed that the area was bombed by the piste patrol before it was pronounced safe.
We will bring you further details when we get them.
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