School ski tragedy inquiry launched
Involuntary manslaughter probe will focus on why children were on ski run that had been closed since start of season
AN INVOLUNTARY manslaughter investigation has been launched after two schoolchildren, along with another skier, died when an avalanche engulfed a closed run at Les Deux Alpes, Isère.
The victims were among a group of pupils from the Lycée Saint-Exupéry in Lyon. They were trapped when what locals said was ‘hundreds of tonnes of snow’ slid down the mountain just before 4pm yesterday. A Ukrainian man who is thought to have been skiing separately from the group was also killed.
One of the children was pronounced dead at the scene and another died in hospital. At least two more victims were found ‘in a state of cardiac arrest’ and the teacher had also suffered multiple injuries. They were transferred to hospital in Grenoble.
The investigation will focus on why the group was on a black run that had been closed since the start of the season for safety reasons. Authorities at the resort insisted that all necessary warning signs were in place. The avalanche risk had been set at level three out of five following recent heavy snowfall.
Patrick Kanner, the minister for youth and sports, said: “A judicial inquiry will say why the teacher, who was himself injured, took (the children) onto a piste which was not open.
“How can you think of taking children, following periods of heavy snowfall, onto a piste which was closed?”
There were 19 students and three teachers on the trip, but only 10 of them and one teacher were on the closed run at the time.
About 100 rescuers, including search dogs and helicopters were mobilised to find the victims as night fell yesterday. The mission was described as ‘particularly complex’.
According to the Interior Ministry, ‘all the other children in the group are safe’ and have been bussed back to their school.
President François Hollande publicly sent his “sincere condolences” to the families of the victims and said the nation stood in solidarity with them, while prime minister Manuel Valls, tweeted his “great sadness”, saying France’s thoughts were with the victims and those fighting for their lives.
Grande tristesse après l'avalanche de cet après-midi aux Deux Alpes. Toutes nos pensées aux victimes et à ceux qui se battent pour la vie.— Manuel Valls (@manuelvalls) January 13, 2016
Education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem has travelled to Lyon to offer support to the school and the families.
Authorities have called on everyone heading to the slopes to take necessary precautions and not to put their lives in danger.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve issued a statement repeating an appeal from earlier in the month for people in the area to ‘exercise the utmost caution’ and to follow the instructions of local authorities.
Before yesterday’s tragedy, four skiers had already died in January in separate avalanches in the French Alps.
Photo: Ross Brimble / Flickr
