Two skiers were killed and another injured.
Two skiers were killed and another injured in an off-trail avalanche Sunday in the Italian part of the Mont Blanc massif, near the border with France and Switzerland, officials said.
At least three skiers were trapped in an avalanche Sunday morning in the Couloir Vesses, a famous freeride route in Courmayeur in upper Val Veni, according to Italy’s Alpine Rescue.
One of the victims was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later died, the agency said. Fifteen rescue teams, three dog units and two helicopters participated in the search and rescue efforts.
Courmayeur, a town of about 2,900 inhabitants about 200 kilometres (124 mi) northwest of Milan, is one of the venues hosting the Milan–Cortina winter Olympics.
In Trentino, an avalanche partially buried another man, but his companions rescued him, officials said on Sunday.
A record 13 backcountry skiers, climbers and hikers died. in the Italian mountains in the week ending February 8, Alpine Rescue said last Monday, including 10 avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable snowpack.
Fresh snowfall during recent storms and wind-blown snowfall on weak interior layers have created particularly risky conditions throughout the Alpine crescent bordering France, Switzerland and Austria, Alpine Rescue said.
