In the aftermath of the fatal avalanche on the slopes of Mont Joly, the circumstances of the tragedy at an altitude of 2,300 metres are becoming clearer. The exact site of the avalanche is a long way from the ski lifts and has nothing to do with the edge of a slope, as some media have suggested.
The avalanche started in an off-piste sector in the hollow of the Pirolettes ridge, precisely the "combe à Rémy". The name refers to Rémy Jacquet, who died in 1988 in this valley while he was a ski patroller.
When you look at the mountain, sitting in the Mont Joly chairlift, the accident of this Thursday, December 28, 2023 at around 3:30 p.m. took place far to the right, far from the resort's facilities.
On this slope, without any trees, eight people are possibly involved. A group of six people were surprised by a 400 meter long flow. It seems that the avalanche was triggered by the passage of skiers, located upstream, but the investigation must better clarify the exact scenario (The public prosecutor mentions two cross-country skiers).
The group of five skiers of English nationality, all from the same family and supervised by an independent ski instructor whom they had known for several years, who was partly buried.
Of the six people, three found themselves caught in the snow, including the Megevan ski instructor, who escaped with slight physical injuries. This mountain professional, from the international ski school, was the only one equipped with an avalanche victim detector (AVD). The man was quickly removed by the rescue trackers from the Saint-Gervais station, thanks to his security device.
Manslaughter investigation opened
On the other hand, the search for the other two victims was much longer and more complicated. Two avalanche search dogs were mobilized. The operations ended around 8 p.m. Under the snow, two skiers were found dead: a mother and her son. "None of the members supervised were carrying transceivers," the public prosecutor said.
The son was of legal age, 22 years old. The mother was 54 years old.
An investigation was opened for manslaughter and entrusted to the PGHM of Chamonix with the support of the Megève brigade. An avalanche expert is expected to arrive on the scene on Friday, December 29.
