While all the ski areas in Chamonix are closed & all mountain activities are prohibited in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, there are those who do not always play by the rules.
On 4 April 2020, a 24-year-old Haut-Savoyard left the mandatory home confinement and went ski touring, starting off from the Les Houches ski area.
Unfortunately, he unscrewed and fell 300 meters (984 ft). His boy was recovered by the PGHM of Chamonix the next day, April 5th.
On 25 March 2020, all mountain activities in Haute-Savoie were prohibited by prefectural decree. Since then, the PGHM of Chamonix started patrolling the Mont-Blanc massif and are very strict to offenders.
However, the gendarmes do not have eyes everywhere and it is our individual responsibility to follow the rules of confinement, in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.
Unfortunately, not everyone follows the rules.
In the morning of 4 April 2020, a 24-year-old man decided to disregard the confinement and go on a ski touring trip.
He started off alone from Les Houches and was progressing towards the refuge du Goûter, located at 3,800 m or 12,467 ft altitude.
The PGHM of Chamonix found him dead, a day later, at around 12.30 pm.
"It unscrewed and fell 300 meters. The accident probably took place on Saturday", said the commander of the PGHM of Chamonix, Stéphane Bozon.
His body was found at 2,300 m (7,546 ft) altitude, on the steep slopes located along the tram line leading to the refuge du Nid d'Aigle.
Stéphane Bozon condemns the irresponsibility of the practitioners who continue to break the obligation of confinement. "We patrol a lot and we still observe groups everywhere", declared the commander of the PGHM of Chamonix.
Chamonix.net reminds everyone that all mountain activities are prohibited. Moreover, the Chamonix Emergency Services are closed & the medical staff is relocated to the Sallanches hospital, where they fight against the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
