On Saturday 9 April 2022, an avalanche caught up in the snow seven participants in a mountaineering weekend below the Cosmiques Hut, in Chamonix.
Two women died after being caught up in an avalanche
This Saturday around 6 p.m., the PGHM of Chamonix was contacted for an avalanche rescue intervention, below the Cosmiques Hut.
According to Le Dauphine, the weather conditions did not allow a helicopter to take off, the eight gendarmes and the SMUR doctor reached the site by the Aiguille du Midi cable car.
Before the rescue team arrived, witnesses helped the five survivors to get out of the snow, they were in varying degrees of hypothermia.
The victims, two women in their 30s from Isère, were in cardio-respiratory arrest when the PGHM arrived. They took part in a course organized by an association aimed at making the practice of mountaineering more accessible to women. The seven people had dug igloos to bivouac during the night.
The other five people were evacuated by helicopter on Sunday morning 10 April.
An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor of Bonneville to “search for the causes of the victim's death”. The group was accompanied by an independent local guide, his liability is currently excluded.
Source: @Le Dauphiné Libéré
Chamoniarde : high avalanche risk for Saturday 9 April
La Chamoniarde warned of heavy snowfall and a wind of nearly 130 km / h at the Cosmiques Hut, on the night of Friday to Saturday.
The avalanche danger level was 4 (high) and had just changed to level 3 (considerable).
