Breaking News: Avalanche In The Massif des Ecrins Swept Seven Mountaineers To Their Death, One Seriously Injured
Seven climbers were killed by an avalanche around noon on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 in the French Alps. The tragedy took place on the Dome de Neige (Snow Dome) on the Massif des Ecrins in the the Écrins National Park in the Pelvoux district southeast of Grenoble, France.
The mountaineers were climbing a popular and easy route when the avalanche hit. It started at about 13,200 feet (4015m) in winter-like snow conditions. Authorities were notified about the incident by staff from a nearby mountain refuge hut.
Search and rescue teams, helicopters, and dog teams were dispatched to search for the avalanche victims. At this point, seven are dead and one is seriously injured. Rescuers continue to search in case there are any additional victims.
The climbers are believed to be 5 from Germany and 3 from Czech Republic, but this is not confirmed and reports vary. Their identities have not been released at this point.
Avalanches are common in the French Alps, but this is the deadliest avalanche of the year in this region.
Stay tuned for more updates. Read more about this untimely tragedy from these sources:
