- The avalanche occurred on Sunday afternoon in the Auvergne region at an altitude of 1,500 meters
- A horrific accident claimed the lives of Frenchman David Vigouroux and three others
Four climbers, including a renowned mountain guide, have died and three others were injured in an avalanche in the Valley of Hell in central France.
The horrific accident claimed the life of Frenchman David Vigouroux, 50, in the Auvergne region on Sunday afternoon at an altitude of 1,500 metres.
Joël Mathurin, prefect of the Puy-de-Dôme department, said the accident happened above the village of Mont-Dore, in an area known as the Val d’Enfer – the Valley of Hell.
“Four people died and three were injured as a result of the accident on Sunday afternoon,” Mr Mathurin said.
‘A total of seven people were tied together, and four of them were buried by the avalanche, up to four meters of snow, before the others could call emergency services. The three survivors were treated for minor injuries.”
The horrific accident claimed the life of Frenchman David Vigouroux (photo), 50, on Sunday afternoon in the Auvergne region, at an altitude of 1,500 meters.
Mr Mathurin confirmed that Mr Vigouroux, a highly respected mountain guide who led the climb, was among the dead.
About 50 rescuers were sent to the scene, including 14 police officers, 21 firefighters and two dogs trained to find avalanche victims, local media reported.
Sacha Espinasse, one of the rescuers involved, said: ‘It’s tragic. People think we’re working on a small mountain, but you shouldn’t think that way, because very serious accidents can happen very quickly.’
All involved were affiliated with the Vichy Alpine Club and were all experienced climbers.
Sébastien Dubourg, the mayor of Mont-Dore, said: “We are really stunned. This is the worst tragedy of its kind in fifty years.”
He said the three survivors were taken to Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital, where one was kept under observation with moderate head trauma.
Clermont-Ferrand prosecutors, in collaboration with the judicial police, have opened an investigation into the exact causes of the accident.
The mountains of the Auvergne, many of which are of volcanic origin, are not as high as those in the Alps or the Pyrenees, but are very remote, often covered in heavy snow, and are known to be a dangerous area.
Joël Mathurin, prefect of the Puy-de-Dôme department, said the accident happened above the village of Mont-Dore (pictured), in an area known as the Val d’Enfer – the Valley of Hell.
According to local news, Vigouroux had turned 50 just two weeks ago, on February 11.
He was born in 1974 and discovered climbing as a teenager. In 2014 he became a mountain guide and trained in the Auvergne and around the world, including in Greenland and South America.
He was also the author of a book on the history of mountaineering in the Auvergne.
The identities of the other three victims were not immediately released.